6 Ways to Protect Preschoolers and Kindergarteners from Bullying

Tips to Reduce Bullying in Preschool and Kindergarten

You can help your little one learn and practice the skills that will help with making friends, getting along with peers, and avoiding bullying situations, as a perpetrator or victim. Here are some tips:

• Feeling management. Teaching your child how to control big emotions may prevent outbursts or acting out against other kids. Giving your child the vocabulary needed to express feelings, and offering up relaxation techniques—such as taking a deep breath or counting numbers—can help your child keep cool in a heated situation.
• Encourage problem-solving skills. Throwing toys and tiny punches won’t solve playground problems—and the sooner your child learns that, the better! Instead, encourage kids to work through disagreements by validating everyone’s feelings, restating the problem, and asking for possible solutions. By learning how to resolve conflicts, your child will be much more likely to have positive, supportive friendships.
• Provide positivity. Arrange a play date, then give the children a chance to practice such as listening, sharing, cooperating, and taking turns. Playing group games with an item that’s passed around (such as a ball) or that requires taking turns helps kids develop these important social skills—while having fun!
• Celebrate diversity. Interactions with peers are best when children understand, appreciate, and respect one another, so be sure to start conversations about how everyone is different—and how that’s great, since our differences make us special.
• Help build friendships. Invite buddies over for play dates, spark a conversation with a fellow mom at the park, and attend age-appropriate classes where your child can meet potential pals. Friends can protect one another from bullying.
• Speak up. Teaching children to step in when they see bullying happening may help limit bullying in play groups. Telling your kid to say, “Stop! You’re bullying,” to guide the victim away from the bully and to report the incident to an adult will empower your child to take action in an aggressive situation, instead of feeling helpless.

Young children are old enough to experience bullying—and old enough to learn about how to prevent it. Teaching your tiny tot these effective anti-bullying techniques helps to develop high self-esteem, effective problem-solving skills and the tools needed to settle playground disputes without violence or temper tantrums.

This article is based on the following research report:

Hanish, L. D., Ryan, P., Martin, C. L., & Fabes, R. A. (2005). The social context of young children’s peer victimization. Social Development, 14, 2-19.