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Art of Redirection
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Once when a child I was caring for was kicking a volleyball when outside and instead of scolding him for kicking the wrong ball I suggested kicking an actual soccer ball because it would go further than they volleyball, then added that there may be a possibility that the volleyball could break and that we should be careful with the equipment so everyone else can use the toys aswell.
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There was a time when I had a student using blocks to hit legos and other toys, so I redirected by handing them a soft toy to hit instead so they’d still be able to hit something while also avoiding destroying equipment. The method I use to help effectively communicate is by asking the kids what ideas they have to fix the problem. Kids tend to cooperate better when they come up with ideas together and feel like they have more charge in the situation. Being there to influence and navigate the situation helps while also allowing them a space to feel like their voice matters encourages taking initiative and working together.
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<strong style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;”>We currently have our doctor tools in our dramatic play area this month. The kids love the tools but they also struggle to share as they are only 2.5 years old. Using redirection and teaching them to wait for their turn is how I spend most of my day! Giving the kids fun phrases to remind them to use their words and ask is how I help foster communication. “Words not whines” is my most common phrase!
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One morning during before care, students were playing choices. Suddenly, one of the students starting crying because the choice she wanted was already being used by another group of students. I approached her and asked her what was the reason for the tears, after she explained the reason t me, I redirected her. I told her that we needed to use our words instead because they will help teachers know how we can help. I provided the words she could use (Can I play with you?) She stopped crying and used her words. She was happily playing 10 seconds later.
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My younger cousin who is about six years old, was struggling in the mall. He really wanted a toy, but his mother could not afford it. Because of this he started to throw a little tantrum however, I was able to help him with breathing techniques, explain why he could not get it, and then redirected him to writing a letter to Santa when he got home. When I redirected him to writing the letter, it allowed him to feel like he had some control in the situation while also giving him something to look forward to.
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One time i used this method is when i notice one of my kids to close to another kid and i can see that child was starting getting frustrated. so i told the child who was to close ” Hi friend your other friend really needs their own space right now come play Legos with me until friend is ready to play with the rest of the class.”
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It’s a normal day in my classroom that one of the students takes a toy from another student they are 2-3 years old. When this happens, I will say to the student that took the toy “We need to give the toy back to the other kiddo” and have a conversation with the kiddo about wait for their turn like “I know you want ‘toy’ but right now ‘other kid’ has the toy we can ask to have the toy when they are done” then model how to ask. At the daycare I work at we practice ‘can I have the toy when you are done’ and the response is ‘yes when I’m done’ the biggest part is the follow through, watching to see if they did give the toy to the other child when they are done, if not reminding them to give the toy to the other child.
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I work in a blended classroom, and one of the IEP children was unable to sit during circle time and was being disruptive to the other children and the learning environment. We removed the child to the cozy area to help them calm their body and regulate their emotions, giving them a chance to take a few minutes and be able to return to circle and focus on the lessons being taught. We taught the children the method of big problem vs little problem, so they can advocate for themselves, learn to communicate to their peers and problem solve, and deal with problems on their own instead of constantly relying on an adult to solve their problems.
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We have a friend in class who uses their teeth on others when they become very frustrated. We have to monitor them a little closer than other children in the class. We are sure to redirect them quickly when they start showing signs of becoming frustrated. We help them find the words to communicate with the other child, and then establish if we can allow play to continue or ask if they would like to find another activity to participate in.
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There are many time children want a toy that others have, I use redirection to help gain their interest in another toy while someone is playing with the one they are wanting.A method I use for teaching effective communication for the children is by using words they understand that have a direct meaning and wont cause any confusion for the children when understanding.
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One time two preschoolers were playing with the same dump truck and started arguing . Instead of taking the toy away I redirected one child by saying” Let’s see if this truck can help build us a road over here while your friend finishes. I also set a timer and explained when it beeped that we would switch toys. This worked well and the children enjoyed taking turns.
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When two children wanted the same toy, I redirected one child to a similar activity while explaining that everyone gets a turn. To teach communication, I model simple phrases like “Can I have a turn?” and “Let’s play together,” using games, songs, and role-playing since sharing is still a developing skill at this age.
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A time when using redirection helped me avoid behavioral issues with young child was when I needed the all the children to take a potty break but a three year old boy was worried about missing the story I had been reading to some of the class. To assure the child he could go to the potty with out missing anything I put the book on “pause” while he used the potty. Some creative methods for teaching effective communication I use are what would what would I need/want if I was worried on missing out on an activity especially one I was interested in (stepping into the child’s shoes) & communicating that I understand their feelings.
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i had a two year old that kept hurting others, one day we talked about looking at the hurt face of the one she was hurting. this seemed to make as huge diff
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I was observing the students in the dramatic play area and we put limited items on the shelves to help promote sharing and finding another idea to help play into the theme that we chose. I had a student who loved to grab the sunglasses but another person grabbed them I grabbed a different style and played a cool cat and they really liked that idea so they ran with it. So they didn’t focus on the glasses they really wanted.
