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Art of Redirection
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I use redirection on a daily basis as I work with kids in pre-k up to 5th grade. Just this morning I had a kid who was angry because he wanted to sit next to his sister and she didn’t want to sit next to him. He started yelling at her and saying mean things about her and I went to him and said hey, it’s ok to be upset and angry but it’s not ok to yell and scream and say mean things. I have a really awesome new coloring page would you like to check it out when we are done with community circle? He said yes and I then asked him if he could pick a different seat beside someone who played with him this morning. He found a seat next to a kid that he had played the magna blocks with and as soon as community circle was over I got the new coloring page out and his face lit up.
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I have a child in my class that displays aggression issues, and anytime I see her getting too rough or upset, I sit her down with paper and crayons and allow her to ‘draw’ her emotions. it calms her down and helps her sort those negative feelings out. She normally will end up drawing things/people that she misses.
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I use redirection often in my classroom. I try to have many of each item in my class so if there is a situation that I need to steer a child in a different direction, I can do so with many options. For example, I had a child today who was really upset that someone was using the “gem” he wanted. I saw a little calculator that he loves to play with and asked him to come “work” with me. We ended up playing work with the calculators and keyboards. I also had him ask the other child, “ when you’re all done with that gem, can I have it?” This made it easier for him to get over the fact of not getting it in the first place.
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I had two children fighting over the same boat during water play. One child got very angry and I got the timer and said he needed to wait his turn. This was not working so I went over to the toy bin and started talking about the other boats I had and showed the little guy one of them and he got excited and started playing with the boat I showed to him.. No more fighting problem was solved!
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Great example, Barbara! Your use of redirection through engaging with alternative toys effectively diffused the situation. This approach not only promoted sharing but also encouraged creativity in play!
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I have a student who was getting upset with her dad who was trying to enforce that she wear her seeing glasses as she didn’t want to and the situation was escalating between dad and daughter. I wear glasses too and so I stepped in and asked her to please wear her glasses with me so that I wouldn’t be the only one wearing glasses in the classroom and we could wear them together! She happily obliged.
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Great example, Cynthia! Your use of empathy and shared experience effectively redirected a potential conflict. This approach not only promotes cooperation but also models positive communication and understanding for the children.
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One time a 4 year old I worked with was anxious. She was talking about wanting to see her parents and how scared she was. I told her I was sorry and she was going to see them very soon. I then redirected the conversation by telling her I liked her dress, and if she wanted to go play dress up in the dramatic area. I asked her if pink was her favorite color and if she matched her outfit today on her own. This did a good job of distracting her.
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Great job, Elena! Your use of redirection not only calmed the child’s anxiety but also engaged her in a positive way. Encouraging creative play is a wonderful method for fostering communication skills.
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I recently worked with a 4 year old child with autism who did not use verbal language but used ASL to communicate with others. This child particularly loved a big yellow plastic truck we had at our center. The child really loved to run and move and sitting for the duration of snack time was challenging for them. As much as we loved their energy and enthusiasm, it was not safe for the child to run around the classroom and play with the truck with food in their mouth. We tried redirecting in several ways by talking to the child about what foods were in their lunchbox, what friends at the circle were doing, and other strategies, but none proved consistently effective for more than a minute or two. Eventually we realized the truck being visible in the classroom was far too tantalizing, but we didn’t want to take it away! We developed a strong routine of letting the child know the truck was getting sleepy for its snacktime nap, and letting the child “tuck in” the truck in the toybox. We also established a small area close to snack that the child could move their body in between bites (reinforcing that this was only to be used while no longer chewing) and offered alternative seating. After snack, the child was able to reunite with their truck and have a positive rest of the day. Instead of power struggles that led to everyone feeling poorly about themselves or inadequate, we adapted the environment to meet the child’s developmental needs and focused on their strengths of consistency with habit building and clear expectations.
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Roo, your thoughtful approach to redirection demonstrates a deep understanding of individual needs. The creative strategies you implemented not only ensured safety but also fostered a positive learning environment. Great job!
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I have a 3 year old child in my class who throws fits every time her daddy leaves her from drop off. The TA and I both embraced her and loved on her, assuring her that her daddy always comes back to pick her up. We gave her a photo of him to carry around with her however long she needed to. Shortly after she was given the picture, she was calm, happy, and playing with the other students.
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Great job, Malachi! Your use of comfort and a personal photo to redirect the child’s emotions was creative and effective. This approach fosters security and encourages positive social interactions.
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I had a child that was overstimulated, i could tell he was on the verge of acting out. We went over to the reading area and talked about books we were looking at and about the different ways he could take a moment to relax
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Great example, Dawn! Redirecting to a calming space like the reading area is an effective strategy. Encouraging conversation about books not only soothes but also builds communication skills. Keep it up!
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One time when I saw one of the kids hitting things with toys that were meant to be played with like that, I told him that we don’t want to break those toys because we want to still be able yo play with later. I took him to the music area and gave him the drums while I took the rattle eggs to make music with him.
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Great example, Andrea! Redirecting to a different activity not only prevented potential damage but also encouraged creativity. Incorporating music fosters communication and sharing skills in a fun way. Well done!
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Just the other day I used redirection to avoid a fight between two boys. They were fighting over a toy car. Boy B took the car from Boy A. So i gave the car back to boy A and told B that we need to wait our turn and showed him a Bus and a truck that he could play with instead. He went for the garbage truck. Both boys were happy. I then talked to boy B about waiting our turn for the toy instead of just taking it. You can say, “May I please have a turn with the car?” and then you need to wait instead of taking it if they say “no.” I find that taking turns is more effective than trying to get them to share.
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Great job, Amber! Your use of redirection and alternative toys effectively addressed the conflict. Teaching turn-taking and communication skills will surely foster positive interactions among the children. Keep it up!
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One time a 3 year old was crying because another boy wouldn’t let him have a car he wanted. I talked to him explaining that we could use another car of a different color to play with. Finally he stopped crying.
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Great example, Ana! Your use of redirection not only resolved the immediate issue but also encouraged problem-solving. Incorporating alternative choices can be a powerful tool in teaching sharing and communication skills.
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One time, a child at daycare became upset because another child was playing with a toy they wanted. Instead of focusing on the conflict, I gently redirected the upset child by inviting them to help me with a special task—stacking blocks to build a “castle.” This shifted their attention and helped them feel involved and important, while also calming the situation without confrontation.To teach effective communication, I use simple visual aids like emotion cards and model short, clear phrases such as “Can I have a turn?” or “I’m using it now.” I also encourage role-playing through puppets or pretend play, where children can practice asking, waiting, and expressing their needs in a fun and safe way. Since sharing is still developing, I focus more on turn-taking with timers or songs to make waiting easier and more predictable.
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I was greating a child that had just come into the classroom. This child was really upset and didnt want to come to school. I helped this child get into the classroom and they were really crying. I sat him on my lap and was just talking to him and asking some questions. Soon we got into a conversation about a trip they took to the zoo. This distracted the child from being upset and missing their mom and dad. Soon this child was laughing and playing and forgot how sad they were coming into school that morning. I tell my children in my classroom to use their big words to work something out or to talk with a friend. Not just saying no, but saying what they want that friend to stop doing.
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Nicole, your approach to redirection is commendable! Using conversation about a positive experience is a great strategy. Encouraging children to express their feelings with “big words” fosters effective communication and emotional development. Keep it up!
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I use many tactics with kids, but once when a little girl was crying hysterically that someone took her crayons (which actually didn’t belong to her). I just ‘burst into tears’ and told her someone took my dry erase marker too, and as I started to cry, she stopped and went for the marker and handed it over, looking intently at me. I thanked her profusely for finding it. She said “You’re ok now. I said, “Thank you so much, I’m so happy you found it.”She said, “It was right over there ok, next time you look, ok”. I spent the rest of that conversation chiding myself while I retrieved a new box of crayons (a fancy box- I always have unusual gifts for my kids stashed away) and I said, “Look what I found, a new box of crayons!” She was so excited as I helped her open it (one of those tough plastics)Of course that brought other children over. I ended up playing some music with action to distract the ‘mob’
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Al-Nadean, your use of empathy through role reversal was a brilliant way to redirect the situation! Incorporating music and creative distractions also effectively fostered a positive environment and encouraged sharing. Great job!
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