What could teddy do? Use toys to practise dealing with disagreements

What you need 

• Two or three teddies, toy animals or other toys 

What to do 

• Make up a story about a disagreement using the toys. 
• Use a situation that is familiar to your child, such as having to wait their turn or one toy taking something from the other.  
• Pause and ask them how they think the toy is feeling, and what they could do. 
• If your child doesn’t have any suggestions, show them some ways the toys could respond.  
• For example, finding another thing to play with instead of taking from their friend, or noticing they feel angry and taking some deep breaths to calm their body.  
  
  

  Good to know 

  It can be difficult for your child to listen and think about what you say in the moment when they have a disagreement with another child.  

  Using stories or toys to talk about responses when they’re calm can give them some strategies to draw on when they’re falling out with others.