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Art of Redirection
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During morning story time, I’ve noticed some children were getting distracted and started to talk to their friends and some children were touching the wall. I redirected them by singing, The Finger Song while at the same time singing along using their fingers and hands. They enjoyed that song so much I have the children continue to sing the song a couple more times by using their humming voice, and whisper voice.
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I was starting with a new group of children and one of them panicked because “her mother had abandoned her.” I immediately gave her a little jar and asked her to bring me some water from the sink to water the flower I had on my desk. She looked at me a bit confused, but she followed my request…her “panic” ceased and after that, I made her the first “Week Helper.”
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I work with infants, I’ve notice they can start to become very handsy. Using redirection to a different area, but also using phrases such as please use gentle hands with my friend. It hurts them when you hurt them. They are upset. Using phrases that are direct, but age appropriate is the best technique to use with infants. Trying to move them to a different area helps as well.
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During play time with 3-4 year olds, a student started to scream “that’s my toy!” I had to help redirect and assist in asking in a nice way if the student can have the toy back without yelling at the other student. This helped the student calm down and is now using words to better communicate with the rest of the students.
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Last week, my kids where sitting down for circle time, well one of kids ask a question, I answer her question, well another kid went into the conversation trying to change everything, making it seeing like if I was wrong, so I start putting examples and finally she go it, but I start asking everyone a question to every single kid about the same similar question the first kid had, so everyone can understand.
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Some children were having an argument while getting their shoes on at the door to the classroom, I reminded them that once we were done we could go outside and play. This redirected their attention to the task and put an end to the argument.
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A 3 year old was upset after nap time because he didn’t want to wake up and he was missing his parents so I helped him design a card for them. He was so absorbed in the craft he calmed right down and was happy and ready to join the other kids for snack in record time. One of my favorite ways to teach communication is to model good communication skills in my interactions with parents and other teachers. We also like to give examples of things we can say to communicate our needs to others.
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I use redirection through coloring for many situations. If a student has a hard time separating from parents, I invite them to color a picture for their parents and sit to color with them. I have also used this to redirect a student who was angry and unable to express the reason. I invited her to color with me and as she started calming down while coloring, I gently asked questions to figure out what was going on. She ended up telling me exactly why she was upset and we were able to resolve the situation!
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Earlier this summer, my nephew Stone got frustrated when his brother James wouldn’t let him play with a new toy he’d received for his birthday. I could see the situation starting to build tension, so I gently redirected Stone toward building a train track — one of his favorite activities. I sat beside him, helped connect a few pieces, and made the activity feel exciting and purposeful. This shifted his focus, helped him feel in control again, and prevented a conflict without needing discipline. James was also able to enjoy his new toy uninterrupted, and the atmosphere stayed calm and positive.
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In pre-K class, two children were getting upset because they both wanted the same block for their tower. Instead of letting it escalate, I got down to their level and said, “Let’s see if we can build something even bigger with these colorful blocks over here!” I guided one child to a different area and started building with them. The excitement of a new idea caught their attention, and both children were soon engaged in separate but happy play. By redirecting their focus, I helped avoid a conflict and kept the atmosphere calm and playful.
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During craft time today, a student ripped off a piece from another student’s craft that they wanted to use. I quickly redirected the instigator to an area with ample craft supplies for their project. Then I returned the missing parts to the original owner.On another note, I try to teach kids effective communication by helping them identify their own emotions using a visual emotions infographic, which enables them to recognize and express their feelings in a healthy and effective manner.
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One time two kids were fighting over a toy car. I used redirection by inviting one child to help me build a road with blocks while the other kept the car and they both calmed down. To teach communication, I use simple phrases like “Can I have a turn?” and “Can we play together?” and model them during playtime since sharing is still new for them and I also use puppets to practice taking turns and asking nicely in a fun way.
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There was a time a child was throwing blocks. I redirected the child by offering things that were safe to throw like scarves and foam balls. This particular child responded to the redirection very well and was happy to have the safer options.
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There was a time in my toddler classroom when two children both reached for the same red dump truck — you could feel the frustration building between them. Rather than letting it escalate into a tug-of-war, I gently stepped in and first acknowledged both of their feelings: “You both really like that red truck, huh?” I’ve found that simply naming the emotion can help children feel seen and can immediately take some of the tension out of the moment.Then I redirected the second child to a similar blue truck nearby and said, “Hey, look at this one — it tips too, and it even has blocks in the back! Want to check it out?” That little shift in focus made a big difference. He took interest in the new truck and was engaged again within moments.To me, redirection isn’t about brushing behavior aside — it’s about tuning into what a child is trying to communicate and offering a positive alternative that still respects their need. In this case, the child wasn’t just grabbing a toy; he was trying to access something exciting and fun. When we meet that need creatively, we help avoid conflict while also building trust and emotional safety
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I work with 2 year olds so most of my day is filled with redirections and communication! I am constantly redirecting my students to using other toys that are not in their friend’s hands/space, giving them the phrases they need to ask if they can use the toy they want when the friend is done, and keeping the area calm. I have a couple 1 child only activities that they have been learning how to take turns waiting for.
