Final answer:
Children benefit from boundaries that support their exploration and learning, fostering independence for toddlers and self-confidence and purpose for preschoolers.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the toddler years, as they seek autonomy and a sense of independence, it's crucial for them to have opportunities to make choices, such as what to wear or what to play with, within safe and structured limits. As they reach preschool age, children's cognitive abilities blossom, and they become capable of initiating activities and demonstrate a growing sense of self through social interactions and play. While learning these skills, children also develop a stronger understanding of social norms and their own abilities, contributing to their self-esteem and social competence. Appropriate boundaries provide children with a framework within which they can safely test their limits and learn from their surroundings. For instance, while engaging in play, children learn about the world and develop physically, cognitively, and emotionally, which is enhanced when boundaries such as rules of games and behavior in social settings are firmly yet sensitively implemented.