Types of Children's Conflicts
Today, educators are spending as much time helping children learn nonviolent methods of solving problems as they spend on creating other ways of learning. Whether children are bickering over a plaything or calling one another names, conflicts are a fact of life. The table below describes some typical conflicts children experience and suggests strategies for prevention and intervention.
| Type | Description | Appropriate Strategies |
| Possession disputes | Occur when children argue over ownership of a toy or material. |
|
| Power struggle disputes | Occur when children want to be first or force other children to play "their way." |
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| Group-entry disputes | Occurs when children try to join the ongoing activity of another group. |
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| Aggressive play | Occurs when violent, boisterous play escalates in intensity and tempers flare and frustration rises. |
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| Peer and adult disputes | Occurs when children have differences over rules, preferences for games or activities, or initiating or maintaining interactions. |
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Excerpted From:
Excerpt from Creative Thinking and Arts-Based Learning Preschool Through Fourth Grade , by J.P. Isenberg & M. R. Jalongo, 2006 edition, p. 331.
© 2006, Merrill, an imprint of Pearson Education Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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