Sharing

[Guest]

We have a male child who will be leaving Nursery in the summer to go to school in September. It would appear that this child has an inability to share equipment and resources with other children in the nursery, and at times, he gets aggressive with others when either he wants what they have, or when the other children try to use what he has.

 

We also have two other children who seem to have difficulty sharing, but both these children are slightly younger. I am certain that one of the children has difficulty in this area largely because of their age/stage of development. The other two children are beginning to concern me.

 

I have been carrying out detailed observations of all three children and I need to plan and implement activities to help them with this. I know we have time with one child, as she is not due to go to school until next year, but I am concerned that the older child is going to have difficulties when he goes to school. As it is, some of the children in the nursery refuse to play with him because of his behaviour.

 

I feel like we are constantly explaining to him the importance of sharing with his friends but it seems to be having no effect. Our theme this term is under the sea, so I shall be digging out my copy of the Rainbow Fish to read to the children, in the hope that this might help.

 

Basically, I need some activtities/strategies to encourage these two particular children to share with the other children. Some of the games we have at nursery seem a bit 'grown up' for them, so I would like to start with something a bit easier and then slowly build up.

 

Any ideas?? Thanks!

[AnonyMouse_64]

Hi Clare,

 

This is something we do a lot of work on during Circle Time activities using stories, puppets, pictures and role play. We are constantly reinforcing it during free play by supporting the children if necessary with speaking to each other about their feelings. I get each child to explain to the other what they were doing and why, helping them to verbalise things if they don't have the necessary vocabulary. Then we talk about how they could have approached the situation differently, modelling the language and tone of voice they should be using. Sharing is like any other skill - the children have to learn it over time by having plenty of practise!

 

Hope the situation starts to improve soon.

[AnonyMouse_7474]

Hi again Clare

 

I have a child like this also, I have found the best strategy is to find something he is interested in and devise or encourage a sharing activity incorporating his interests. This particular child loves books and after reading 'Whatever Next' to him he went into the book corner with a friend and 'read' it to him. He also likes the mini motor counters, especially lining them up so I sat with him and a friend and devised a sharing game as follows: They each take an equal pile of motors, then they choose a particular type and each line up as many as they have in the pile and then count to see who has the most, and so on. After being shown this game the child now chooses other children and shows them how to do the activity. He is fine whilst he is interested in what he is doing but once he has finished will go and snatch something off another child.

 

This child does not go to school until next year and has a long way to go but I have definitely seen an improvement in his behaviour since he joined the class.

 

Good luck!

[Guest]

Thanks for the advice! The observations are ongoing and I have adapted a couple of previous activities which both children seem to have enjoyed to meet their needs. It feels like an uphill struggle with the older child but I am determined to keep pressing the point of good sharing etc.

 

Circle time has been invaluable recently with this, especially for the younger of the two children and there seems to be a slight improvement in the behaviour. The older chils is still concerning me, but like I say, the observations and assessments are ongoing, as are the adaptations of activities/experiences.

 

Thanks again!

[AnonyMouse_64]

I went to a Birth to Three seminar on Monday and the woman running it was very interesting. She was stressing the importance of a child's early experiences and said that what a child is like at 5 is essentially who that child is for the rest of their lives.

 

Keep up the good work Clare - you might just be changing that particular child's course in life for the better, because you care enough to try to do something for him now.

[Guest little ones friend]

Hello,

 

We use sand timers in our nursery to help children to learn to wait for their turn. This is particularly effective with the bikes outside as we have 60 children, but only 10 bikes! You can get timers in lots of different times, so they are useful for a range of activities. I also use them successfully at lining up time and settling children on the carpet as we try to 'beat the timer' by lining up/ sitting down before the sand runs out.