Channel 4 Announces Return Of 'The Secret Life Of...'

Channel 4 has announced the return of award-winning documentary series, The Secret Life of 4 and 5 Year Olds, on Tuesday 7th November.

The series that offers viewers a fascinating insight into what goes on when you drop your little ones at the nursery gates returns for a new series compromising of two episodes revealing the The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds and a further two parts uncovering The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds.

It's summertime and in a specially rigged school in North East London we welcome a new batch of 4 and 5 year olds from up and down the UK to the all-new Secret Life nursery. As each of the new children meet one another for the first time, we'll observe how they interact, play together – sometimes harmoniously, sometimes less so – and learn essential skills that they will continue to develop through to adulthood.

Kicking off the series with the 4 year olds we'll explore how the age group learn to recognise and deal with emotions. In the second episode, we uncover how friendship and romance develop in the playground and what happens when 4 year olds fall out.

Later in the series the spotlight is on the 5 year olds, showing how personalities develop at this age, as children establish their identity within the group. We also uncover how 5 year olds learn to deal with risk, uncovering how they overcome fear and display bravery.

As before, our team of experts are watching all the action unfold from behind the scenes. Fans of the show will recognise Professor Paul Howard-Jones, (Educational Neuroscientist, Bristol University), Dr Sam Wass (Developmental Psychologist, MCR Cognition & Brain Unit, Cambridge) and Dr Elizabeth Kilbey (Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Oxleas NHS Trust) as they analyse and comment on the children's behaviour and development. We also welcome two brand new experts in the form of Dr Laverne Antrobus (Consultant Child and Educational Psychologist, Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust) and Dr Shona Goodall (Senior Clinical Psychologist, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust Hospital).

The new 4x60" series will broadcast an initial 4 episodes on Channel 4 from Tuesday 7th November at 8pm and the two-part special will air early next year.

The official companion book to The Secret Life of 4, 5 and 6 Year Olds is published by Macmillan on 2nd November, priced £16.99. Co-written by creator and executive producer Teresa Watkins and neuroscientist Paul Howard-Jones, the book delves deeper into the science behind the children's behaviour, examining the crucial stages of development between the ages of 4-6, when children learn how to make friends, understand emotions, care about others and acquire the social skills they need to become adults. Full of hilarious and touching moments, the book not only offers an insight into the magical world of childhood, but also shows us what big people can learn from little people.