Resolving conflicts with peers independently can begin to become more necessary as children enter preschool or kindergarten. But you don’t need to wait for the inevitable playground blowup to practice healthy, independent conflict resolution. Meraki Lane gives 6 steps to problem-solving for any age, and has compiled a whole list of activities to practice conflict resolution skills. One of our favourites is “A Jar Full of Feelings”, from Mosswood Connections. In addition to being a great sensory and fine motor activity for little hands (pom-poms; enough said), filling a jar to the “level” of their feelings can help them visualize big or complicated emotions. While the child is placing (or throwing) pom-poms in the jar, talk about what is causing those feelings. Are they feeling angry? Sad? Scared? What made them feel that way? Is there anything that could help fix these feelings? Explain to them that it’s okay to have big, scary feelings, and that you can work together to get to the other side.
Comments