A child pushes another child while waiting for a turn. You separate them, remind them about gentle hands and then find yourself doing it all again.
I know how tiring this can be, particularly when educators are supporting several children at once.
Safety first, then look for the missing skill
Pushing and hitting can occur for different reasons. A child might be frustrated, struggling to communicate, seeking physical input, acting impulsively or finding personal space difficult to judge.
The adult's response needs to protect everyone involved. Once things are safe, we can look at the skills the child needs help developing.
Let's make this practical
What could you try tomorrow?
Choose a situation and turn the card over to reveal a practical idea.
IDEA 1Pushing happens while waitingCould waiting be the difficult skill?Reveal the strategy
Reduce long waits where practical. Use a visual turn-taking cue, give the child a meaningful role and practise very short waits with adult support.
Close strategyIDEA 2A child crashes into peers during playCould they be seeking physical input?Reveal the strategy
Offer supervised opportunities to push, pull or carry suitable objects. Teach body-space boundaries and watch whether the child can adjust their force during games.
Close strategyIDEA 3Hitting happens when play isn't going their wayWhat could we model?Reveal the strategy
Help the child practise a short request such as 'stop', 'my turn' or 'help', using speech or another accessible communication method. Practise during calm play, not only after an incident.
Close strategyA boundary tells the child what isn't safe. Teaching and practising another response helps them know what to do instead.
WATCH ROBYN EXPLAIN
Let's look at this in practice
I've shared a short video on Instagram exploring this area of children's development and everyday practice.
If the video doesn't load here, select Watch on Instagram.
When physical behaviour is frequent or serious, follow your service's safety procedures and work with the family and relevant professionals on a consistent support plan.
MORE SUPPORT FOR YOUR TEAM
Want more ideas for your kindergarten?
I have professional learning and practical resources covering this topic, alongside movement, play, sensory development, regulation and learning readiness.
If your educators are experiencing similar challenges, my free PD Needs Check can help identify two professional learning sessions relevant to your team.
Two live, 30-minute staff meeting webinars are currently available for $850 including GST under the early-booking offer.
HAVE A QUESTION?
Ask me about your kindergarten's challenges
If something in this article sounds familiar, you're welcome to send me a quick message. Tell me what your team is noticing, and I'll read your question personally.
Please don't include children's names or other identifying or sensitive information.