Interest in mental health is visible at both global and european level and its importance is increasingly emphasized. Given the current situation related to the coronavirus pandemic and the fact that during the second wave kindergartens have not stopped working despite epidemiological measures, kindergarten teachers are at risk population for the development of mental health difficulties. The aim of this study was to examine the levels of depression, anxiety and stress as indicators of impaired mental health, levels of emotional competence and psychological resilience, the relationship between these variables, as well as the possible mediating role of resilience in the relationship between emotional competence and indicators of impaired mental health in kindergarten teachers. Participants were 249 Croatian kindergarten teachers and the data was collected via online questionnaire containing the following: Depression Anxiety Stress Scale DASS-21, Emotional Competence Questionnaire UEK-45 and Brief Resilience Scale BRS. The results showed that kindergarten teachers experienced mild depression and stress, and moderate anxiety, had a moderately high levels of emotional competence and moderate to high level of psychological resilience. Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between emotional competence and indicators of impaired mental health, specifically a negative correlation between depression/stress and the ability to express and name emotions and regulate and manage emotions, while anxiety showed a significant negative correlation only with the ability to express and name emotions. In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between all three indicators of impaired mental health and psychological resilience, and a significant positive correlation between psychological resilience and emotional competence. Regression analyses showed that emotional competence explained 13.8% of the depression variance, 4.3% of the anxiety variance and 9.4% of the stress variance. It was also found that psychological resilience, along emotional competence, predicted additional 11.4% of the depression variance, 9.8% of the anxiety variance and 9.1% of the stress variance. Finally, the results revealed a partial mediation of psychological resilience in the relationship between the ability to regulate and manage emotions and depression, as well as in the relationship between the ability to regulate and manage emotions and stress. All findings can serve as a basis for the prevention of poor mental health through programs and education on emotional competence and abilities related to the psychological resilience in kindergarten teachers.