problem solving skills in child care

Importance of Problem Solving Skills  and How to Nurture them in your Child

We all face problems on a daily basis. You, me—our kids aren’t even exempted. Across all different age groups, there rarely is a day when we don’t experience them.

Teaching our kids to develop resilience can help as they face these challenges. Practical problem solving skills are just as necessary to teach our kids. The methods needed to resolve problems may require other skills such as creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, teamwork, decision making, etc.

Unlike with math problems, life doesn’t just come with one formula or guidebook that’s applicable to solve every little problem we face. Being adaptable to various situations is important. So is nurturing problem solving skills in your child. 

Here we’ll take a look at the importance of problem solving skills and some ways to nurture them in your child. 

Why do we need problem-solving skills?

One thing that always comes up when we speak of problem-solving skills are the benefits for one’s mental health .

Problems are often complex. This means that problem solving skills aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution to all problems.

Strengthening and nurturing this set of skills helps children cope with challenges as they come. They can face and resolve a wider variety of problems with efficiency and without resulting in a breakdown.

This will help develop your child’s independence, allowing for them to grow into confident, responsible adults. 

Another importance of problem-solving skills is its impact on relationships . Whether they be friendships, family, or business relationships, poor problem solving skills may result in relationships breaking apart.

Being able to get to the bottom of a problem and find solutions together, with all the parties involved, helps keep relationships intact and eliminate conflicts as they arise. Being adept at this skill may even help strengthen and deepen relationships.

What steps can you take to nurture your child’s problem-solving skills?

Nurturing problem-solving skills in your child requires more than just focusing on the big picture and laying out steps to resolve problems. It requires that you teach them to find and focus on a problem’s essential components.

This may challenge your child’s critical thinking and creativity, among other things. 

Critical Thinking

This refers to the ability of breaking down a complex problem and analyzing its component parts.

The ability to do that will make it easier to come up with logical solutions to almost any problem. Being able to sort through and organize that pile of smaller chunks of information helps them face problems with ease. It also prevents your child from feeling overwhelmed when a huge barrier is laid out in front of them. 

Help your child practice critical thinking by asking them questions. Open-ended questions specifically help them think outside the box and analyze the situation.

Teach them to look into possible reasons why something is the way it is. Why is the sky blue? Why are plants green? Encourage them to be curious and ask questions themselves. 

Creative thinking is being able to look at different possible reasons and solutions in the context of problem-solving. It’s coming up with ideas and finding new ways of getting around a problem. Or being open to different ways of looking at an object or scenario.

Creative thinking is best nurtured with activities that involve reflection.

Try getting your child’s viewpoint on topics that may have different answers or reasons for taking place. Get them in the habit of brainstorming ideas, doing story-telling activities, and reading books. All of these help broaden a person’s thinking and flex their creative muscles.

Encourage Independence 

It’s important to retain your role as an observer, supporter, or facilitator. Step back and let your kids try out their own solutions. Watch what happens while ensuring their safety and well-being.

As an observer, you encourage independence by stepping back and watching how your child resolves the problem in their own way. It may take longer than it would if you jumped in, but leaving them to their own devices can do a lot for nurturing their skills at problem solving. 

Support your child by appreciating and acknowledging their efforts. Create a space where they can freely and effectively express their ideas without fear of judgement. Present them with opportunities to play and solve problems on their own. Encourage them to express themselves by brainstorming activities that they might want to do instead of telling them what to do.

These simple steps of overseeing your child can help them become more independent and be resilient enough to tackle problems on their own. 

Here at Early Childhood University , we value the importance of enhancing problem solving skills, creativity and critical thinking. Send your little ones to a school that focuses on a child’s holistic development. Give us a call for more information. 

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How to Teach Kids Problem-Solving Skills

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• Steps to Follow
• Allow Consequences

Whether your child can't find their math homework or has forgotten their lunch, good problem-solving skills are the key to helping them manage their life. 

A 2010 study published in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that kids who lack problem-solving skills may be at a higher risk of depression and suicidality.   Additionally, the researchers found that teaching a child problem-solving skills can improve mental health . 

You can begin teaching basic problem-solving skills during preschool and help your child sharpen their skills into high school and beyond.

Why Problem-Solving Skills Matter

Kids face a variety of problems every day, ranging from academic difficulties to problems on the sports field. Yet few of them have a formula for solving those problems.

Kids who lack problem-solving skills may avoid taking action when faced with a problem.

Rather than put their energy into solving the problem, they may invest their time in avoiding the issue.   That's why many kids fall behind in school or struggle to maintain friendships .

Other kids who lack problem-solving skills spring into action without recognizing their choices. A child may hit a peer who cuts in front of them in line because they are not sure what else to do.  

Or, they may walk out of class when they are being teased because they can't think of any other ways to make it stop. Those impulsive choices may create even bigger problems in the long run.

The 5 Steps of Problem-Solving

Kids who feel overwhelmed or hopeless often won't attempt to address a problem. But when you give them a clear formula for solving problems, they'll feel more confident in their ability to try. Here are the steps to problem-solving:  

• Identify the problem . Just stating the problem out loud can make a big difference for kids who are feeling stuck. Help your child state the problem, such as, "You don't have anyone to play with at recess," or "You aren't sure if you should take the advanced math class." 
• Develop at least five possible solutions . Brainstorm possible ways to solve the problem. Emphasize that all the solutions don't necessarily need to be good ideas (at least not at this point). Help your child develop solutions if they are struggling to come up with ideas. Even a silly answer or far-fetched idea is a possible solution. The key is to help them see that with a little creativity, they can find many different potential solutions.
• Identify the pros and cons of each solution . Help your child identify potential positive and negative consequences for each potential solution they identified. 
• Pick a solution. Once your child has evaluated the possible positive and negative outcomes, encourage them to pick a solution.
• Test it out . Tell them to try a solution and see what happens. If it doesn't work out, they can always try another solution from the list that they developed in step two. 

Practice Solving Problems

When problems arise, don’t rush to solve your child’s problems for them. Instead, help them walk through the problem-solving steps. Offer guidance when they need assistance, but encourage them to solve problems on their own. If they are unable to come up with a solution, step in and help them think of some. But don't automatically tell them what to do. 

When you encounter behavioral issues, use a problem-solving approach. Sit down together and say, "You've been having difficulty getting your homework done lately. Let's problem-solve this together." You might still need to offer a consequence for misbehavior, but make it clear that you're invested in looking for a solution so they can do better next time. 

Use a problem-solving approach to help your child become more independent.

If they forgot to pack their soccer cleats for practice, ask, "What can we do to make sure this doesn't happen again?" Let them try to develop some solutions on their own.

Kids often develop creative solutions. So they might say, "I'll write a note and stick it on my door so I'll remember to pack them before I leave," or "I'll pack my bag the night before and I'll keep a checklist to remind me what needs to go in my bag." 

Provide plenty of praise when your child practices their problem-solving skills.  

Allow for Natural Consequences

Natural consequences  may also teach problem-solving skills. So when it's appropriate, allow your child to face the natural consequences of their action. Just make sure it's safe to do so. 

For example, let your teenager spend all of their money during the first 10 minutes you're at an amusement park if that's what they want. Then, let them go for the rest of the day without any spending money.

This can lead to a discussion about problem-solving to help them make a better choice next time. Consider these natural consequences as a teachable moment to help work together on problem-solving.

Becker-Weidman EG, Jacobs RH, Reinecke MA, Silva SG, March JS. Social problem-solving among adolescents treated for depression . Behav Res Ther . 2010;48(1):11-18. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2009.08.006

Pakarinen E, Kiuru N, Lerkkanen M-K, Poikkeus A-M, Ahonen T, Nurmi J-E. Instructional support predicts childrens task avoidance in kindergarten .  Early Child Res Q . 2011;26(3):376-386. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2010.11.003

Schell A, Albers L, von Kries R, Hillenbrand C, Hennemann T. Preventing behavioral disorders via supporting social and emotional competence at preschool age .  Dtsch Arztebl Int . 2015;112(39):647–654. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2015.0647

Cheng SC, She HC, Huang LY. The impact of problem-solving instruction on middle school students’ physical science learning: Interplays of knowledge, reasoning, and problem solving . EJMSTE . 2018;14(3):731-743.

Vlachou A, Stavroussi P. Promoting social inclusion: A structured intervention for enhancing interpersonal problem‐solving skills in children with mild intellectual disabilities . Support Learn . 2016;31(1):27-45. doi:10.1111/1467-9604.12112

Öğülmüş S, Kargı E. The interpersonal cognitive problem solving approach for preschoolers .  Turkish J Educ . 2015;4(17347):19-28. doi:10.19128/turje.181093

American Academy of Pediatrics. What's the best way to discipline my child? .

Kashani-Vahid L, Afrooz G, Shokoohi-Yekta M, Kharrazi K, Ghobari B. Can a creative interpersonal problem solving program improve creative thinking in gifted elementary students? .  Think Skills Creat . 2017;24:175-185. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2017.02.011

Shokoohi-Yekta M, Malayeri SA. Effects of advanced parenting training on children's behavioral problems and family problem solving .  Procedia Soc Behav Sci . 2015;205:676-680. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.09.106

By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, an international bestselling author of books on mental strength and host of The Verywell Mind Podcast. She delivered one of the most popular TEDx talks of all time.

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How Your Child Learns to Problem-Solve

Your preschooler is figuring out what things are, why things are, and how things work..

In the course of your child's day, dozens of questions like these arise: "What's inside this box?" "How can I get into it?" "How far can I throw this ball?" "What will happen if I spill all of the crayons out of the box?" "I wonder if my teddy bear floats?" "How can I get these pieces of paper to stick to that piece of paper?" "Why does my block tower keep falling over?"

By asking these questions, your child is identifying and figuring out ways to solve them, and trying out her ideas. Every time she experiments with and investigates things in her world, such as how far water will squirt from a sprayer and what's inside a seedpod, for example, she is building her ability to solve problems. This is also true when she selects materials for building or when she learns to resolve an argument with a friend or sibling over a toy.

If we look at this process more closely, we discover that problem solving involves both creative and critical thinking. Both are necessary to figure out the solutions to problems of all kinds.

Creative Thinking

Creative thinking is the heart of problem solving. It is the ability to see a different way to do something, generate new ideas, and use materials in new ways. Central to creative thinking is the willingness to take risks, to experiment, and even to make a mistake. Part of creative thinking is "fluent" thinking, which is the ability to generate or brainstorm ideas. So ask your child "wide-open" questions! For instance, ask him to:

• imagine all the different ways to get to school (walking, flying, driving, swimming!).
• name everything he can think of that's red.
• name everything he can think of that's round.
• imagine all the things he could make out of clay or paper bags or even an empty box.

These are good examples of thinking problems that have many right answers. Research has shown that the ability to think fluently has a high correlation to school success later on. Another part of creative thinking is "flexible" thinking, which is the ability to see many possibilities or to view objects or situations in different ways. The next time your child pretends a pot is a hat or a spoon is a microphone or speculates on all the reasons that a child in a picture might feel sad, he is practicing his flexible thinking.

Critical Thinking

Critical, or logical, thinking is the ability to break an idea into its parts and analyze them. The math skills of sorting and classifying, comparing similarities and differences, are all parts of critical thinking. Whenever your child looks at, say, two glasses of juice and tries to figure out which one holds more, he is practicing this kind of thinking. To encourage it, ask your child:

• how many different ways he can sort his blocks.
• how many different ways he can make a building out of the blocks.
• how the building would be different if he used blocks of only one size.
• how a bottle of juice and his lunch box are alike and how they are different.
• how family members' shoes are alike and how they are different.

Asking questions about things that don't seem to make sense is another way children think critically. Questions such as "Why do I have a shadow on the playground but not inside?" or "Why can't I see the wind?" are examples of critical thinking. You don't need to have one right answer, but do encourage your child to express his ideas. There's one other thing to remember about problem solving: It's fun! So make room for spontaneity and prepare yourself to be surprised and delighted as you discover your child's unique way of thinking.

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Mastery Motivation: Persistence and Problem Solving in Preschool

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Mastery motivation is persistence—continuing to do or to try to do something that is difficult—at mastering challenging tasks or activities.

Problem solving is natural for preschoolers. As teachers know, everyday routines can bring difficult challenges, like learning how to zip up a coat or ask for help before frustration sets in. Each challenge builds children’s skills in different areas of development: language, social and emotional, cognitive, and physical. But sometimes a problem can seem too challenging.

You may have seen this scenario play out in your classroom: Two preschoolers are trying to solve the same puzzle. Both make a mistake, but while one child gives up, the other child keeps trying different ways to solve the puzzle. Early childhood researchers call this persistence at mastering challenging tasks  mastery motivation , and it plays a key role in children’s learning and in their later academic achievement. Early childhood teachers are in a great position to help children foster this important skill.

Here are five ways to support mastery motivation:

• Provide lots of different types of challenging activities, like math games that have more than one way to solve a problem.
• Support children’s independence and let them make their own choices in activities or during play.
• Try to resist the urge to fix the problem—it can take away children’s sense that they are capable problem solvers.
• Do provide gentle guidance when frustration starts to set in, such as holding the puzzle board steady while a child adds a puzzle piece or offering a well-timed, “What if you turned that piece the other way?”
• Give children positive feedback by praising the problem-solving process and encouraging them to keep trying.

We know that children who are not provided with challenging activities or who receive negative or harsh feedback tend to show less mastery motivation. The same holds true for children receiving praise like “You’re so smart” and children whose environment is overly controlling.

When teachers appreciate children’s efforts, children learn that working hard and persisting are positive behaviors. As children grow, they will face more and more difficult problems. They need to know that it’s okay to struggle—it’s part of the learning process.

Photo © EDC

Jessica Mercer Young  is a research scientist and developmental and educational psychologist specializing in early learning at Education Development Center.

Kristen E. Reed,  project director at EDC, has worked as a teacher, curriculum developer, professional development facilitator, and researcher. For more ways to make math engaging, challenging, and fun, visit ym.edc.org .  [email protected]

Vol. 11, No. 1

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Children who say "no" to everything you say need to be given boundaries for proper behavior in your home care environment. Many experienced child day care providers provide such children with a choice that gives the child a certain degree of freedom and control over his or her environment, though choices that stay within the boundaries of acceptable behavior and scheduling offered by the care provider.

Children who hit, pinch or push others should receive gentle reprimands followed by an explanation of why such behavior is unacceptable. If the child continues with such behavior, it is suggested that he or she be placed in "timeout", or be asked to play separately from others unless the child agrees to limit such behavior. If that method doesn't work, it is suggested that the day care provider discuss the issue with parents to determine a solution.

Studies have shown that positive reinforcement, encouragement, and plenty of love and affection help to minimize temper tantrums and unacceptable behaviors. This is not to say that your best efforts are going to prevent disagreements or fights over toys, or is able to prevent Sally from whining incessantly because she's not allowed to watch her favorite cartoon. However, patient caregivers are aware of various techniques that may help to reduce such issues.

For example, if two children want to play with the same toy, a childcare provider might offer each individual a fair amount of time alone with the toy. For example, Jake can have the truck for 15 minutes, and then he has to give it to David to play with for 15 minutes. Depending on their age, the caregiver may even broach the question of how to deal with the issue to the children themselves.

Children required to be away from home for long periods of time may grow fussy, frustrated, and angry. Let them know that you care, but do not allow them to take their frustrations out on others. This can be done with firm reprimands followed by kindness or signs of affection to let them know that you understand their feelings.

For more serious breaches of behavior, the "timeout" chair is appropriate for most age groups. However, extended periods of sit time are not effective for most age groups. A rule of thumb to follow is that a three-year-old sits in the chair for three minutes, a four-year-old for four minutes, and so on.

In addition, childcare providers are cautioned to provide 'alerts' or 'warnings' when one activity needs to be changed for another. For example, a schedule that requires the children cease playing in self-directed or free play in order to eat lunch or take a nap necessitates the childcare provider to give the children warning ahead of time that activities are changing soon. For example, say, "Okay, in ten minutes, we have to stop finger-painting so that we can eat lunch…"will give children an adequate amount of time to transition from one activity focus to another. This will also help to alleviate negative behaviors and outright refusals.

Some day care providers are asked to care for handicapped children who have special needs. For other daycare providers, the constant barrage of individual parent requests may often be overwhelming.

When it comes to dealing with such issues, day care providers must often bite their tongue and maintain a professional attitude, which includes being courteous and respectful, regardless of how picky, demanding or angry a parent might be. However, day care providers must also be able to stand firm regarding the rules of business regarding scheduling fees, hours, sick policies, and pickup times.

Communicate with parents on a daily or weekly basis. If you start to notice a trend of one parent picking up their child later and later every day, mention it before it gets out of hand. Relate your concerns and issues with a parent without threatening or insulting them. Many parents make the mistake of believing you are merely, "a babysitter". It is up to you to correct this attitude by assuring parents that you are performing and offering a valuable service, much like any service provider in the community, and that your schedule needs to be abided by.

If parents continually ignore your concerns or are chronically late in picking up their children or paying you for services, it is often necessary to terminate your relationship with these parents. Remember, you're not only doing them a favor, you're in business for yourself. It doesn't matter whether you are providing day care, nursing care, or plumbing services, a business is established to provide service or products to others and bills must be paid on time and office hours abided by.

The great majority of home daycare providers are young women with children of their own who have supportive spouses. Of course, there are some women who provide day care who aren't married, or who may be older with grown children who have since moved out of the home. However, most day care providers have husbands and small children who must be consulted about changes that may occur or expectations that may be required prior to opening a home daycare business.

Children of daycare providers often feel jealous, ignored, and overwhelmed by the sudden activity and demands on his or her mother. They often become irritable, tense, and develop negative behaviors in a bid for extra attention. Husbands may grow inpatient and dissatisfied with the demands placed on a spouse to provide childcare after work hours, weekends, and holidays.

Before initiating any child care business, it is essential that not only the child care provider knows what she is getting into, but that friends, spouses and children know and understand regarding the changes that can be expected with such a decision. Often, all it takes is an adjustment period that may last from a couple of weeks to a couple of months before additional family members have had an opportunity to adapt to the new environment. However, there are some cases in which spouses and children of a care provider are unable to or refuse to adapt to the new situation, which may doom your childcare business hopes.

To prevent such scenarios, it is suggested that child care providers and their spouses and children visit local day care centers around the neighborhood to gain some sense of a new and possible changes in environment in their own home. Potential childcare providers are also encouraged to ask questions about concerns or worries that may affect every member of a family.

If your business is growing, you may realize that you can't provide all of the necessary care on your own. At this point, you may need to hire an assistant or a partner. Help may be found through newspaper ads or through child care agencies, depending on individual need. Finding someone who is trained and able to share the responsibilities of your business requires careful interviewing and screening processes. Most of all, it requires patience.

Local or community childcare support groups are also available in many states, and may be found through your local Chambers of Commerce, Department of Social Services or telephone books. Whenever possible, it is suggested that child care providers join support groups and networks in order to gain exposure and experience with a wide range of individuals and small home-based businesses, who may be able to help clarify issues, questions, or concerns.

Networks and support groups are also be able to offer information and guidance on activities to do with children of multiple age groups, as well as guidance for such topics as self-esteem, development, and behavior issues. Several such organizations and associations may include but are not limited to the following:

Of course, there are many more out there, including the National Fire Protection Association, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, the National Association of Childcare Resource and Referral Agencies and so on.

Childcare providers are also encouraged to visit the state childcare websites that may often be accessed through the Departments of Child Services or asking for specific information from the National Child Care Information Center.

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Ways Child Care Providers Can Teach Young Children to Resolve Conflicts

Many preschoolers have problems sharing, taking turns, and negotiating roles when they play together. These day-to-day conflicts are great opportunities for child care providers to help 3- to 5-year-olds practice the skills needed to resolve disagreements. Even the youngest preschoolers can learn the basics of conflict resolution with appropriate help and guidance from supportive child care providers. 

Benefits of Teaching Conflict Resolution to Young Children

Learning to handle conflicts in productive ways is an important social skill that children will use throughout their lives. When child care providers help preschoolers practice resolving conflicts, they become more sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. Children also develop self-confidence when they learn how to solve their problems in a positive and assertive way. Conflict resolution involves good communication, real listening, and searching for solutions that children can agree to. This kind of problem solving teaches children how to think creatively and to evaluate solutions.

Steps in Resolving Conflicts

Child care providers can begin teaching children to negotiate and solve disagreements by guiding them through some simple steps. Remember that children need repeated practice to resolve conflicts. Child care providers will need to lead children through the steps at first. With repeated practice, preschoolers and school-age children can learn to work through these steps by themselves.

• Find a quiet place to talk. Before helping children resolve the conflict, child care providers need to remove children from the place where the conflict occurred. Find a quiet place in the room where everyone can sit and discuss the situation without interruptions.
• Everyone gets a say.
• Everyone listens without interrupting.
• Everyone gets to propose a solution.
• All solutions must be discussed.
• The group must choose the best solution together.
• Give each person a say . Go around the circle and ask each child to tell her side of the story. Use questions like “Amy, what happened?” and “Beth, what happened?” to allow each child to share. Remind children to listen without interrupting. Be sure everyone has the chance to speak about the problem.
• State the problem clearly . Based on the information that all children shared, summarize the problem in a few words. You might say something like, “Amy and Beth, it sounds like you both want to be the mother in dramatic play. Is that right?”
• Ask each person to suggest a solution . Go around the circle again and ask each person, “What do you think we should do to solve this problem?” Again, remind children to listen without interrupting. Encourage each child to suggest a solution, even if the suggestion is the same as the one proposed by another child.
• Help the group choose a solution . Guide the children in discussing the pros and cons of each solution. Ask them to think about how they would feel about that solution, and encourage them to consider how the solution would affect others as well as themselves. For example, you might say, “Amy has suggested that both of you get to be the mother and take care of your own babies. Beth, how would you feel about that solution? Are there any problems with this idea?”
• Put the solution into effect . Congratulate the children on coming up with a solution together. Go with the children as they begin trying out their solution. Remind them of the agreement if children are not following the solution chosen.
• Observe and check in if needed . Watch the children interact for a little while. Watch the ways that they are playing together, and pay attention to any problems that still seem to be happening. If the solution is not working, or children are unhappy with the solution, bring the group back together to renegotiate a better solution.

With time and repeated practice, preschoolers can learn to use these steps to solve problems without the help of their child care provider. Resolving conflicts helps children learn valuable communication skills and can encourage them to be more accepting of different points of view.

For More Information

Remember that guiding children’s behavior is an ongoing process. For more information, check out the eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care section on Guidance and Discipline in Child Care . Specific articles that may be of interest include the following:

• Encouragement Is More Effective Than Praise in Guiding Children’s Behavior
• Helping Children in Child Care Handle Anger
• Ways Child Care Providers Can Teach Preschoolers Self-Control

10 Ways to Strengthen Your Preschooler’s Problem-Solving Skills

As an adult, you make many decisions throughout your day without even thinking twice about some– from setting up the coffee machine at home to avoiding the long line at the drive-thru that can make you late to work to having a difficult but necessary conversation with your partner about finances. These are just a few examples of problem-solving skills and how you adapt to the situations around you and use your skills to exist on personal, professional, and social levels. 

While some problem-solving skills are innate, your ability to access a situation and take a course of action is based on the fact that when you were a child, the adults around you taught you problem-solving skills. Our Raleigh early-childhood development center is sharing our best advice for anyone looking to strengthen their pre-schoolers problem-solving skills. 

What is Problem Solving in Early Childhood?

Problem-solving refers to the ability to find a solution to a problem. For preschool-aged children, this can be difficult to learn if not modeled for them through the appropriate ways to react to the issues they face. 

For instance, if two children are playing with a toy and one pushes the other in an effort to take the toy, this is clearly an inappropriate way to react to the problem. Furthermore, screaming or yelling for the child to give them the toy is also not a proper way to solve the issue. To model mature and proper problem-solving skills, adults around the child should be practicing the concept of sharing, patience, and communication while avoiding physical and emotional reactions when they don’t get what they want.

When the child learns that they can ask the other child, “Can I play with the toy next?” or understand the concept that another child was playing with the toy first, they are exhibiting the ability to problem solve. 

Why is it Important to Develop Problem Solving Skills in Early Childhood?

Children aged 3 to 5 are developmentally experiencing growth in the following areas: 

• Cognitive 
• Emotional 
• Language 
• Sensory 
• Motor 

Because this time for preschoolers is so substantial to their intellectual, emotional, and social development, the world around them can seem overwhelming, unfair, intimidating, and even confusing. By modeling and teaching problem-solving skills to preschoolers , they can learn how to react logically, think creatively, communicate their needs, and assess how best to react to a situation at hand. 

How Can You Teach Problem Solving Skills to Your Children?

It is the responsibility of the adults who raise and teach children to provide kids with opportunities to strengthen their problem-solving skills in early childhood. If you are a parent, guardian, childcare provider, or early-childhood educator, it’s important to consider the best strategies for helping little ones adapt to the world around them and learn problem-solving skills. And remember, it can be frustrating when things do not work out as expected for anyone at any age, particularly for preschool-aged children who are just learning to adapt to their surroundings. 

When teaching your preschool-aged child how to problem solve, consider these four steps that are used in early-childhood classrooms : 

• Identify the problem
• Brainstorm solutions to the problem
• Choose and implement one of the solutions
• Evaluate how that solution resolved the problem

Following this four-step guideline can help the adults in a preschooler’s life address how a child acquires problem-solving techniques to help them navigate through the difficult and everyday situations that arise. 

When teaching problem-solving, focus on developing these key skills that relate to problem-solving: 

• Lateral thinking
• Decision-making
• Communication
• Persistence
• Negotiation
• Logical thinking
• Analytical thinking

10 Problem-Solving Activities for Preschoolers

You know that you want to guide your child through developing and strengthening strategies for problem-solving, but where do you begin? Our early-childhood development school is sharing some of our favorite ways to incorporate problem-solving activities into your life so that you can teach your child to grow on a personal and social level. 

#1 – Use Everyday Moments

You do not need a textbook or outline of how to teach your preschooler problem-solving. Simply using everyday moments to demonstrate problem-solving techniques is more useful than any “how to” book or homework assignment can teach your child. 

Going to the grocery store, driving in the car, making dinner at home, and cleaning the house are all everyday opportunities to present your child with decisions related to problem-solving. Having your child put ingredients away in the pantry while you cook, asking your child what aisle at the supermarket they think you can find a particular item, or seeing that there is a mess of toys and supplies and directing the child to initiate where they should be placed prior to starting a new activity are ways to integrate problem-solving into everyday moments. 

#2 – Look to the Child for the Solution

As your child grows up, they will not always have you by their side to solve each and every problem that arises. From issues with friends, future relationships, and future careers, the child you raise will one day become an independent adult who needs to problem-solve on their own. 

Asking children to weigh in for solutions to problems as they arise is one way to get them thinking critically early on in life. When a child is taught to not only assess an obstacle but to trust their own decision-making abilities to resolve a problem, they will be better equipped for success as they get older. 

#3 – Solve Mathematical Problems

Mathematics is a great way to engage children at an early age in problem-solving and solution-making activities. Math is logical and non-emotional, having very clear set rules and boundaries with a single solution is one prime example of problem-solving. When children are given age-appropriate mathematical problems and math word problems, they are given opportunities to troubleshoot and follow an order of operation that leads to a solution.

#4 – Ask Open-Ended Questions

As adults, we often find that the most convenient way to get through the day when caring for a preschooler is to complete tasks for them so that we can get on with our busy day. However, it’s important to pause and present your child with the opportunity to find their own solutions to problems they are faced with by using open-ended questions. 

For instance, your child cannot find their favorite pair of shoes. Rather than tear the house apart on your own looking for them, present the child with a question: “Where did you last wear those shoes?” or “When did you last see your shoes?” This requires your child to consider where they last may have placed them. Additionally, a question like, “If we can’t find those shoes right now, you’ll need to choose a different pair to wear so we aren’t late.” guides them toward finding an alternative solution to the problem. 

Giving children the opportunity to find their own solutions to issues that arise by asking open-ended questions equips them with problem-solving skills they will need throughout life when things do not always go as planned. 

#5 – Puzzles and Board Games

Puzzles and board games, much like math equations, allow children to use their cognitive problem-solving abilities to complete tasks in a fun and unique way. Pre-schoolers are often drawn to images and visual learning components as well as interactive play. Putting puzzles together allows for pattern recognition, while board games allow for interactive problem-solving techniques to be utilized through a set of rules. Incorporating puzzles and games into the lives of children are excellent ways to get them to think critically and find solutions that offer immediate results. 

#6 – Read Books and Tell Stories

Books and storytelling are always exceptional ways to build vocabulary and introduce kids to characters and situations outside of their own. When children are given the opportunity to relate to characters and situations, and then address how those characters can react and engage in their conflicts and interpersonal relationships, it not only fosters imagination and creativity but also problem-solving skills. 

#7 – Center Emotions

As adults we understand that while reacting emotionally to a situation is sometimes natural, it does not get us very far when it comes to solving a problem. Children should be taught how to center those emotions, without shame or guilt by providing an alternative to emotional responses. This is often in the form of learning communication and language. 

If your son’s best friend hurt his feelings, he should not be made to feel that he shouldn’t feel how he is feeling. Having your feelings hurt, particularly by a friend, is, well, hurtful, and there should be no shame attached to that feeling. However, when it comes to addressing those hurt feelings to the friend, it would be inappropriate to shout, “I hate you!” or “I don’t want to be your friend anymore!” Rather, providing your preschool-aged child with words and phrases for when their feelings are hurt is essential to emotional and social development. 

Teaching your son to tell his friend, “It hurts my feelings when you say that” or “I get sad when you are mean to me” are great ways to help children not only process their emotional feelings but express them in appropriate ways that lead to a resolution. 

#8 – Model Problem-Solving Behaviors

Children look to the adults in their lives for how to handle the problems they face in the world. If your child sees you politely ask a waiter to return a plate of food that was incorrectly served, they will learn that proper communication, respect, and patience lead to resolution. In contrast, if a child sees their parents speak rudely and blame a waiter for an incorrect order, they will learn that emotional reactions are the way to address problems. As a parent and caretaker, it is your responsibility to use mistakes, obstacles, and hardships as learning opportunities passed on to your preschool-aged children, demonstrating first-hand that non-emotional responses, kindness, and communication are the keys to getting most issues resolved. 

#9 – Break Down Problems into Chunks

As an adult, one of the ways to get through major projects at work is to set up a schedule that breaks down a large-scale project into smaller portions. Using this technique in childhood education and development is a successful way to teach children how doing one small task can lead to an overall greater, larger picture in the long run. Since a large task can seem overwhelming or even impossible, breaking it down into smaller, easily achievable pieces that will eventually lead to the full, complete picture is a wonderful way to help children of any age, but particularly preschool-aged, tackle large issues without feeling the weight of the big picture.

#10 – Utilize Natural Curiosities and Interests 

Using natural, organic opportunities for learning and problem-solving is always one of the best ways to foster creativity as well as logical and analytical thinking. All children are naturally drawn to some interest– whether it’s unicorns, dinosaurs, airplanes, trucks, or the color blue… every child has something that they become naturally drawn to, often to the surprise of their parents. 

For example, maybe every time your daughter sees the mailman drop off the mail, she is fascinated. Maybe her face lit up with interest and excitement to check what was left in the mailbox today. This is an opportunity to ask questions that lead to analytical thinking and problem-solving. Inquiring, “what does the mail carrier drop off at other houses?” or teaching the concept of writing a letter to grandma and how it goes through the mail can continue to foster interests while teaching logical steps, planning, and problem-solving techniques. 

Enroll Your Child in an Interactive Preschool Care System 

It’s no secret that when a child is at preschool age they are naturally curious and soak up all the information around them. By teaching your child problem-solving skills, they are better equipped to handle the everyday struggles the world has to face. However, the professionals at our preschool development center understand that busy working schedules, multiple children, and life’s responsibilities do not always make it easy for parents to dedicate time to fostering and strengthening problem-solving skills in their children. 

If you have a preschool-aged child who will benefit from emotional, social, and personal development related to problem-solving, contact Primary Beginnings to enroll your child in our 5-star preschool program in Raleigh. 

Contact us today at 919-790-6888 for our Spring Forest Rd. location or 919-785-0303 for our North Hills Dr. location, or fill out our contact form below. 

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8 Steps to Help Your Child Learn Problem Solving Skills

This article, written by Jennifer Wendt, PhD, was originally published on TherapyChanges.com and is being shared on FindaPsychologist.org with permission from Therapy Changes.

As adults we solve problems all throughout the day, from minimal to major problems. We are called upon to make decisions and find solutions to problems occurring in our homes, jobs, relationships, health, etc. The list is endless! Many problems we fix are common and we have learned a variety of solutions to use without much thought. Problems that are novel or larger may require us to pause and actively use our problem solving skills.

One of the most exciting moments is to witness a child learning to solve his or her own problems! The moment when a child spits out a pacifier and instead of crying, she reaches out her hand to search for it and places it back in her mouth. A toddler stands up, notices his feet feel funny and then switches his shoes to be on the correct feet. An 8 year old runs upstairs to grab a jacket because the weather is colder than she thought. A 12 year old realizes he has been unkind to a peer and makes up for it by inviting him to join his friends at lunch. While doing homework, a 15 year old studies for his math test first because he felt terrible after getting a C on his last test. An 18 year old decides to not ride in a car with her friend because she is driving without a license.

Children are faced with decisions and learning opportunities every day during every stage of life. One of the best things we can do is to nurture these opportunities and encourage them to solve problems on their own. As parents, we routinely rise to our responsibilities as provider and protector of our children. It often takes a conscious effort for a parent to step back from their provider instinct and allow the child to find a solution to a problem at hand. For example, it is much easier and faster to help a child turn the sleeves of their jacket right side out then to patiently watch them struggle to figure it out on their own. Another example may be when a parent asks a high school teacher to include him in class emails regarding assignments so he can monitor his 16 year old’s progress. Although the intentions are to protect and help our children, when we solve the problem for them, we deny them the opportunity to figure it out themselves.

Here are 8 steps to help your child learn problem solving skills:

1) Encourage Creativity Allow children and adolescents to think outside of the box and try new ideas. Encourage young children to play creatively with objects they find or plain wooden blocks, while encouraging older children to explore new ideas with their imagination.

2) Have Patience Recognize those moments when you can spend a few extra minutes allowing a child to solve a problem on their own rather than quickly solving it for them.

3) Play Problem Solving Games Games are for all ages and not just for young children: from hide-and-go-seek to capture the flag.

4) Model Think out loud and let your children listen to you solve a problem. Demonstrate how you are working to find a solution.

5) Allow Them to Fail As tough as it is, allowing your child to fail provides an amazing learning opportunity. It also provides the message that it’s ok to make mistakes.

6) Ask for Their Help Ask your children for help making decisions or solving a problem. It’s remarkable to hear the possibilities they can come up with.

7) Propose Multiple Possibilities Offering a variety of possible answers to solve a problem can help to get the ball rolling. It encourages a child to consider multiple options and to project possible outcomes.

8) Praise Their Efforts vs. the Result As humans, we do not magically solve every problem the right way, nor is there one solution to a problem. Praise a child for their efforts & when there is success you can highlight the result!

“I can see how hard you are working to figure this out!”

“You really put a lot of effort into this!”

“I bet you are glad you didn’t give up. You’re determination helped you solve the problem!”

“I knew you could figure it out!”

“I can imagine how good you must feel about completing this.”

Learning to solve problems is an essential life skill. Strengthening these skills not only allows children to gain independence and self-confidence, it also primes them for success in academic learning, leadership, social relationships, athletics, finances, health, leisure skills and all other areas of life.

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Problem-Solving Strategies For Children

• Written by  Aussie Childcare Network Team
• June 22, 2023

Children of all ages face problems; while a three-year-old may be struggling to button up a shirt, a five-year-old might feel stuck with a challenging puzzle. Indeed as they grow older, the variety and complexity of problems can only increase. The following article provides information on problem-solving strategies for children so that they eventually learn to look for solutions on their own.

Identify The Problem

Children, like the best among us, often get bogged down by the consequence of a problem, rather than the cause. So a child may be frustrated at not completing a colouring task in time whereas the real problem may be difficulty in finding the right colours. A useful starting point may then be helping your learners identify the specific problem by saying something like, “Show me the hard part.” This makes it easier to identify the root of the problem and makes it less overwhelming. When dealing with interpersonal problems, teach children to take responsibility for what happened rather than levelling accusations. Thus instead of saying, “Carlos got me in trouble at recess”, help the child say, “I got in trouble at recess for quarrelling with Carlos.”

Elicit Likely Solutions

Once the child is able to pinpoint the exact problem, they can usually come up with solutions themselves - with just a bit of prompting. So you might ask Gina what would help her avoid getting into an argument with Carlos.

If your learners cannot seem to come up with answers, help them brainstorm a few ideas. But instead of coming up with the suggestions yourself, use questions to elicit responses that point in the desired direction. For example, if a child is struggling to complete a jigsaw puzzle, ask, “How do you think the top of a rooster’s head looks like?” and then suggest they look for such a puzzle piece.

Exploring Possibilities

When working with older kids, ask what they think would happen if their solutions are implemented. Encourage them to consider if the solution is fair to others or how it might make someone else feel. With younger kids, you can try role-playing to help them understand possible outcomes since it is necessary that children learn to figure out both the positive and negative fallout of their actions.

Allow For Mistakes

Even after going through all the right steps, it is quite likely that the solution won’t work. If this happens, invite the child to think about why and then move on to another solution. A good idea is to support them with emotional skills like resilience and patience besides teaching them how to process disappointments and frustration.

Integrate With Learning

Use classroom learning opportunities to hone problem-solving skills.

• When children play with blocks, lego and puzzles, they use their analytical skills which in turn strengthens problem-solving processes.
• Read or tell stories in which the major characters come upon obstacles. Pause at certain points in the narrative to ask your learners if they can think of ways to solve the character’s problems.

Encourage a variety of suggestions and discuss possible consequences. Look for ways to relate the character’s dilemmas to events in the children’s own lives so that they have a deeper understanding of problem-solving scenarios.

Further Reading

Importance Of Puzzles In Early Childhood - The following article provides information on the benefits of puzzles for children.

EYLF Outcome 4 - Children Are Confident And Involved Learners V2.0 - The following lists the sub-outcomes, examples of evidence when children achieve each sub-outcome and how educators can promote and help children to achieve EYLF Outcome 4 -  Children Are Confident And Involved Learners V2.0.

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Promoting Problem-solving Skills in Young Children

Roselia Ramirez : I'd like to welcome you to the Home Visiting webinar series. We are happy that you have joined us today. The topic for our session is focused on problem-solving and how home visitors can partner with parents to really support its development. Before we get started, we want to tell you a little bit about us and want to have you meet your hosts for today's session.

My name is Roselia Ramirez and I am a senior training and technical assistance specialist at the National Center on Early Childhood Development Teaching and Learning, or DTL for short. I'm happy to be joining you from my home state of Arizona, and I'm going to turn it over to my colleagues and have them introduce themselves. Hey Joyce.

Joyce Escorcia: I am Joyce Escorcia, and thanks everyone for choosing to spend your hour with us. I work alongside Roselia and Sarah at DTL as a senior T and T specialist. You may have seen me in the Coaching Corner webinars and some other places and spaces. Thanks for joining us. We're excited to dig into our topic today. Sarah, do you want to introduce yourself, and share a little bit about yourself?

Sarah Basler: I'm excited to join you all today; you might recognize me as one of the presenters of the Coaching Corner webinar series and my role and work tends to be around coaching and specifically using PBC to support practitioners and even supporting coaches in their PBC practice. I also have a background in pyramid model practices. I'm excited to be here today and talk with you all about problem-solving, which is one of my passions. Thanks so much for having me today.

Roselia: Thanks for joining us, Sarah. It's exciting to see you and to have you as our guest for today on this often-challenging topic for many home visitors as well as parents. Thank you again, and it's so nice to see you. We do probably have some new viewers joining us today. We were wondering if you could start by giving an overview of the Practice-Based Coaching model and then share with our viewers some of the benefits of coaching for a home visitor.

Sarah: Sure. A quick little recap for some of you, and an introduction for others, Practice-Based Coaching or PBC as we call it for short, is a coaching model that when used with fidelity can lead to positive outcomes for children and their families. PBC can be used with anyone, so you can, a coach can support teachers or support home visitors, family childcare providers, or even other coaches. We refer to those that are receiving the coaching as a coachee, to support them to use a set of effective practices. PBC is a content-ready model, which means that any set of practices can be the focus for the middle of the cycle, visual, and so whatever set of practices that you might want to be the focus of coaching can go in the middle there.

The coach and the coachee together identify some strengths and needs related to those effective practices that have been selected for coaching and together they write a goal and an action plan to support that coachee in their implementation of those goals. The coach and the coachee engage in focused observation. The coach will come in and observe the coachee using those effective practices selected in their action plan. Then they meet and reflect about what happened during the focused observation, and the coach will give some feedback, some supportive, and some constructive feedback.

All of these components of PBC fit within a collaborative partnership. PBC occurs in that context, and it's really about a coach and a coachee coming together to work together and support the implementation of those effective practices. When we think about what those benefits might be for a home visitor, a home visitor could share with their coach, challenges that they might be facing related to working with families and together, a coach and the home visitor could talk through maybe some possible solutions or strategies that the home visitor may want to try with the family or support the home visitor in learning a little bit more about a certain set of effective practices.

Sometimes it's really nice to have that support and a colleague to ask your questions and get some ideas. A coach can support a home visitor to grow their home visiting practices. A coach could support them not only around maybe effective practices to try with the, to support the family to use, but could support the home visitor in growing their home visiting practices themselves. Thinking about how to enhance those skills.

Roselia: Thanks, Sarah, I really like the whole notion. The first thing that kind of comes to my mind is this whole idea of having a thought partner. But before we go any further into this topic, and this discussion, if you're just joining the session, we would like to remind you to visit that teal color widget that's at the bottom of your screen. Here's where you can gain access to this participant's guide that you're seeing a little screenshot on your screen now. This resource is intended to be interactive and you're going to hear us reference it and then direct you there during the session for some opportunities for engagement as well as some reflection.

I also want to point out that on the first page of the participant's guide, you're going to find some icons and images that we have been using in our home webinar series, such as the focus on equity segment and this is represented by that little magnifying glass image. I also wanted to mention that not every one of our Home Visiting webinars will have each of the segments in each of the webinars, but just to give you an idea of what those are when you do see them. The other thing we want to do before we go any further is we want to review the learning objectives that we have established for this session.

We have identified and framed the session around two learning goals. First, by the end of the session, we anticipate that you'll be able to describe some essential components of problem-solving, and then second, that you will have some practical strategies and resources that are intended to not only strengthen but nurture problem-solving within that home environment. Now in your participant's guide, we have provided a space for you to reflect and to think about your own learning goals and what you would like to walk away with from this session. Think about that for a moment. What's something that maybe a question that you might have or a type of reflection, something that you would like to walk away with. Take a moment and then jot down your thoughts in your participant's guide.

Joyce: To frame the space that we're in today for our Home Visiting webinar series this year, we've been focusing in on topics that have an impact on social and emotional development. As many of you know, social-emotional development is one of the domains in the Head Start Early Learning and Outcomes Framework, or the ELOF . You can see we have it highlighted here on the slide. When we began the series this year in October, we focused in on the home environment, and then in December, we focused in on relationships. In our last webinar, we really focused in on emotional literacy.

If you missed these webinars, don't worry, you can catch it on Push Play, and you'll have information about that towards the end of our webinar today. For our time today, we're really excited; again, I'm super excited to have my cohost from the Coaching Corner webinar series. I'm excited to be here with Sarah to focus on problem-solving and the practical strategies that we're going to be talking about today. We're really going to be looking at how a home visitor can support and partner with families kind of introduce and nurture that skill within young children. That's really where we're going to be at today.

Again, we wanted to make that connection with the Pyramid Model. While we're not going to go deep into the pyramid, we do want to just make that connection today that the Pyramid Model is a framework of evidence-based practices for promoting young children's social-emotional development. The Pyramid Model builds upon a tiered public health approach by providing universal support to, universal supports for [inaudible]. Animations are going a little wonky on me today. Universal support to all children to promote wellness and then targeted services to those who need more support and then also intensive services for those that need them.

In this webinar, we're going to be focusing in on problem-solving, which is that tier two targeted kind of social-emotional support piece, which we know are essential and important to healthy social development. That's where we're going to be focusing in on today, with, we're thinking about the pyramid. If you want to know more about the pyramid, check out the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, or NCPMI . We have links to that within the resource, within your viewer's guide for today. Be sure and check that out as well. We are again super fortunate to have Sarah with us today. We just really want to draw on all of her experience that she's had out in the field and really sharing some of her insight on problem-solving. Sarah, I'm going to pass it over to you.

Sarah: Social competencies like self-regulation, empathy, perspective taking, and problem-solving skills are really foundational to that healthy social-emotional development, and this includes positive interactions like friendship and relationship skills between peers and siblings. Young children really need that support of adults in their lives to help them learn these skills so that they can develop healthy relationships among peers and find ways to really work through social conflicts. As home visitors, you can support this process by really supporting teaching and modeling with families how to help their children develop these skills earlier on.

It can start as young as infants and toddlers. Home visitors can support building these foundational problem-solving and relationship skills that most children can access with adult support and start to use independently as they start to, as they continue to develop these skills. Children, as they become more independent, they'll tend to run into situations in their environment that can lead to frustration or even some challenging behavior.

If parents are intentional and teach children these skills early on in their development, they can become pretty fluent in problem-solving. Then as they learn these skills, they can become more independent and successful with these skills. Their self-esteem will then, in turn, increase, and they will be likely to be able to cope with certain levels of frustration as a result and engage hopefully in less challenging behavior. When they feel confident in these social interactions and are able to problem solve successfully, then we're going to likely see less challenging behavior.

Roselia: Sarah, this is a good place to note that as you get to know your families, you may also discover that there might be some children who struggle, and they don't readily learn these skills through those foundational teaching strategies such as modeling or co-regulation. This might include children with disabilities or suspected delays. Establishing that strong relationship with the parent becomes even more important to get more familiar with and to be aware of the struggles so that you as a home visitor can then explore and use some of those more individualized practices to work on these skills when children need that extra support. We're going to talk some more about that throughout this webinar, but we just thought that would be really important to point that out.

Let's talk a bit more about why problem-solving is important in child development. We know that the earlier that children begin solving those problems, the more ready they are to deal with bigger challenges as they mature. We know that the home is a safe, it's a controlled environment, where parents can direct children as they develop and practice those problem-solving skills. By viewing problems as opportunities to grow, children begin to broaden their understanding while building that confidence that you were talking about.

We also know that when children feel overwhelmed or maybe hopeless, they often, they're not going to attempt to address a problem and that's where some of this challenging behavior for us adults may come up. When they have support, and then adults really support them with that clear formula and some steps for solving problems, they'll feel more confident in their ability to even give it a try. By introducing problem-solving skills at a young age, children learn to think in terms of manageable steps. Sarah, can you share with us how a home visitor might go about this process with families?

Sarah: There are some steps to problem-solving that home visitors can use and introduce to parents and there are some ways that you can support families to incorporate these steps as they encounter social conflict in the home or in socialization. The first is to support children in identifying the problem. This can be simply stating what the problem is out loud and it can make a big difference for children and that even includes infants and toddlers as well as preschool-age children who are feeling stuck. Parents can really think about how to do this in an age-appropriate way to support their child to state what the problem that they're encountering is, such as, your sister doesn't want to play with you, or I see you're having a hard time rolling over, or would you like a turn?

Once the problem has been identified, parents can help their child to think about what some solutions might be to solving their problems. Parents can help to brainstorm possible ways that they might solve that problem. As a home visitor, we can help parents understand that all solutions don't necessarily need to be a good idea, meaning that really just the idea of children coming up with these ideas or sharing some possible solutions. We want to support that process and allow children to share no matter how silly it may sound, and we can support them by offering suggestions to them. The goal is for parents to help their child explore options and the key is to help them do this with creativity and support them to find many different potential solutions because we know that there's not one right way to solve a problem and we want to support children to be able to think of multiple solutions.

Parents can even talk through and help their child identify what the pros and cons of each solution might be. Parents really play this critical role in helping their child identify potential positive and maybe negative consequences for each potential solution they've identified. Once the child has evaluated the possible pros and cons of each solution, the parent can encourage them to pick a solution and try it out and see what happens.

That's where even sometimes those silly solutions that they come up with, it's okay, let them try it out because if it doesn't work, you can support them to try out a different solution. And finally, the last step would be really analyzing or evaluating if it worked. Did this solution that you tried work? Was it, did it solve your problem? And if it doesn't work, you can always come up with a different solution and help them to brainstorm new ones.

Roselia: Thanks Sarah. I think that's a really great way to kind of break down that process and a great way for home visitors to support parents as they're kind of working through that. From your experience as a coach, and then just the various different learning settings that you had the opportunity to work in, why do you think problem-solving is so important?

Sarah: Problem-solving skills give children that independence that they really crave. It gives them agency in their own lives. Even though they may not be able to do this independently right away, when we give children the tools that they need to be able to do this successfully, they're able to navigate interactions with others and it helps to build social competence that they're going to carry with them for the rest of their lives. No matter what the learning environment is that you are in, social interactions are inevitable. They happen all the time. It's important that adults give children the tools that they need and support them to use those tools when they need them so that they become independent and confident in solving these problems when they arise.

Joyce: When Sarah was talking, I said I really love how you made that connection about the importance of parents supporting that, because I think it goes back to what we stated when we started. That about supporting children to become these confident, capable children really does kind of lead into being confident, capable adults who can kind of explore the world around them with all the skills that they need. I think that it just makes a case why this is so important. Because we know that solving problems really is about making choices. As young children develop their problem-solving skills, they build their confidence and we just know that you know, that having all of that, being able to solve problems, figuring things out, really makes them happier, more content, and just independent individuals. That's really what we want.We know when they tackle problems on their own or in a group, they become resilient and persistent. They learn how to look at challenges from a fresh perspective, and therefore, they're confident enough to take more calculated risks and problem-solving is so important in child development.

Again, because we know if we do it and we get it right when they're little, it really turns into this other thing when they become adults that they become confident and capable and are good with taking risk in all kinds of other different ways. Some of you may be wondering why you're here with us, wondering what skills do children need to be successful at problem solving? This is important, like I know it's important. What skills do they need in order to be able to do it well and in order for children to be successful at problem-solving and developing relationships there are a lot of prerequisite skills that are required and needed. 

We're going to talk a little bit about that, but we want to open up the Q and A for you guys to say okay, what skills do you think are important for children? What do you think that they might need in order to problem solve? We're going to ask you to pop that into the Q and A, right there, just click on the Q and A widget and put your responses there. We're going to share some of those out. While you guys are kind of thinking and popping ideas into the Q and A, we want to ask Sarah and bring her into the conversation of, Sarah, can you share with participants what some of those, what you think some of those prerequisites could be?

Sarah: For prerequisite skills, as you mentioned Joyce, problem-solving is really complex and it's going to require that a child be able to do many different things at the same time. When we think about children three and up, what they might need to be successful at problem-solving, then you really need to be able to initiate and respond to others. That could be a verbal or a nonverbal interaction or response, and it would vary, of course, based on the child's age or ability. This might look like if a child wants a toy that another child has, it could look like holding out their hand to ask or asking for a turn. A response might look like the other child saying no, I don't want to give you a turn, or pulling the item back to say, I don't want to give you the toy. Children really need to be able to initiate and respond to be successful at problem solving. 

Another thing that they need to be able to do is identify emotions in themselves and in others. The reason this is important is because have you ever tried to solve a problem when you're upset? It's really hard. You're not thinking clearly. It's just not going to work. Children need to be able to return themselves to that state of calm before they're able to come up with solutions to their problem, or even to recognize what their problem is. Another step is being able to calm themselves or having an adult support them to calm down. 

The next skill might seem obvious, but children really need to be able to identify what the problem is. That could look like a child identifying hey, I've got two apples but there are three siblings here. And what, my problem is I've got two apples, and we don't have enough. Once they've identified the problem, children really need to be able to then come up with possible solutions to solve their problem. That could be that child identifying hey, if I split this apple, we all have some. Or it might be, I don't like apples, so you can have mine. 

These skills that I just mentioned are really higher level for maybe preschool-age children, but a home visitor can also support families of infants and toddlers by setting the stage for problem solving. Making sure the environment really promotes interactions with others. Are there opportunities for that child or other children in the home to engage with one another? There usually are, even in routines that we don't think there are, you can build in possible opportunities. Pointing those out for the family, helping them think about what they might do or say and providing, helping support them to provide more opportunities throughout the day.

Another way that a family could support problem-solving in the environment is narrating or pointing out the intentions or what another child might be wanting or needing so that could sound like, “oh, I see Julia crawling towards you. It looks like she wants to play with your ball.” What this does is really builds awareness of the wants and needs and intentions of others. I think that's so important because often I know you've been around children, you know that sometimes it feels like a threat and when we can narrate what's going on, we can frame what's going on for the child so that then they approach it as in a different way. 

Of course, it's important to share that if a coach is working with a home visitor to support families to use these practices, a coach can help a home visitor identify what those prerequisite skills are that might need to be taught to the child first, the family or the child to be successful. It's important to note that a coach can be an extra set of eyes. And that, some of the things that I mentioned are coming in on the chat, I'm seeing, or in the Q and A, some people are saying kids need to be able to share, kids need to be able to ask for what they need, kids need to be able to identify the problem, and so it looks like you guys are right in line with what we were talking about. Really having friendship skills is important. Thank you so much for your responses.

Joyce: I feel like folks have a lot of ideas to share about what it takes to problem solve. And again, thank you for all your responses; keep them coming in. We just talked about, there are a lot of things needed for children to be successful at problem-solving and we still see a lot of the responses here we see coming in in the chat. We have Kate and Catrina that talk about regulating emotions. We have Tom that talked about think about possible solutions and then also as adults think about how can we help kind of set them up with possible solutions. Thank you for putting all of those things in there. As you can see, there's a list there added to the list that is coming in the Q and A. All of those things all in mind, problem-solving steps that we talked about and how a home visitor might support the development of this process.

Sarah, just to pop in with a quick question here, when you were talking and explaining the, when you were explaining kind of the why. Like why because it kind of helps to take away that threat aspect of it. As a coach we do that with our coachee or home visitor and do you think that there's some importance or connection then as a home visitor having that knowledge than to be able to have that parallel process of sharing that information with a print of like this is why it's important to narrate kind of that parallel top piece. Do you think that that could also be helpful for a home visitor?

Sarah: Yes, absolutely. I think as adult learners, and when you're working with parents, working with adult learners, it's really important for them to know the why. Why are you telling me to narrate? Pairing the narration is important because it helps children feel less threatened by the other child and you share the intentions. Then it helps make it more, gives the parents the why. Why would I do this? And then they know that the possible impact that using that practice might have. It's really a parallel process. What you would, your coach would use with you, you might also use some of those strategies with the families that you would work with.

Joyce: Yeah, thank you for sharing that. I said it was just when you said that, that light bulb went off, like wow, that's important information to kind of share on both sides, so thank you for that. 

Now we're going to just summarize some of those key ideas and practices for home visitors and how they can support some of those problem-solving skills. Again, a lot of things have been coming in through the Q and A. Number one is just to promote healthy relationships, that home visitors can support parents in how they engage with and offer opportunities for young children to work on relationship skills. Sharing and helping and cooperating and comforting and making suggestions about play, even celebrating each other, and creating developmentally appropriate opportunities for practicing those skills throughout the day. 

Home visitors can support parents in creating opportunities within the home as well as exploring options where children can practice turn-taking and sharing. Maybe through a socialization activity. Particularly when you're thinking about when there's just one child in the home, parents may have a concern about their child not having opportunities to engage with other children, so that could be a great time to just kind of pause and think about the value they place on peer relationships and how they might be able to provide some of those opportunities for their child. Thinking about some of those being intentional and some might be planning some outdoor activities, some field trips, some going to the park, visiting with their cousins or whatever that aspect. 

Just knowing that can also help with thinking about, like, 'Wow, every interaction could be a learning moment, an opportunity to kind of learn and grow these skills.' Thinking about teaching problem-solving steps that earlier we talked about - some steps that home visitors can work through with parents. When it comes to developing problem-solving skills, young children are learning to manage their emotions and behaviors through co-regulation. They're beginning to reason and understand simple consequences. Our role as a home visitor, we have that opportunity to work with parents and support the development of problem-solving.

Problem-solving development at this young age allows children to identify problems, brainstorm possible solutions, and then test those out, test out those appropriate solutions, and then analyze and think about, "Okay, so what kind of results did I get? Did I get what I wanted in the end?" Parents can support children to work through these steps and gain confidence in their ability to work through the problems that they encounter.

Another component would be teaching problem-solving in the moment. Problem-solving is hard work. It is hard work, but a 2-year-old solving problems is hard work for everyone involved sometimes. As home visitors, we have that unique opportunity of supporting this process. We want to build a parent's skill base and their confidence really to help their child use problem-solving steps in the moment. As home visitors can partner with parents to brainstorm ways they can anticipate those social conflicts before they happen. When a problem arises, the parent can anticipate or recognize problems before things can escalate and get out of hand and feel overwhelming or intervene as needed to work through those problem-solving steps that home visitors can support. 

How parents individualize strategies they use to provide support, all these skills, really based on the learning kind of style and needs of their child. We know that some children may need the amount of language used to be modified; some children may need visual cues or gestures kind of paired with verbal language; some children may need specific feedback about consequences to really help them learn about the effect of their behavior on the environment really based on the individual needs of that family and the children as well.

Roselia: Thanks for sharing all that, Joyce. That's a lot of great information, and as you were saying all these things that we're doing to support parents or children rather — I think someone mentioned this earlier — about even as adults, problem-solving is difficult for us sometimes. To imagine for children that don't have the words and they're struggling with all these different emotions and wanting to stake their independence, it can really be a tough process. 

As home visitors, we're in that unique position to really help support. Thanks for sharing all that. Throughout this webinar, we've really been discussing ways to foster problem-solving skills for all children. Today, in our focus on equity segment, we're going to use our equity lens to take a closer look and really lift up the value of equity in all learning environments as we work with diverse families in our communities.

As home visitors, it is safe to say that we are working with a diverse group of families, and we never want to make any assumptions. Let's reflect on this question: How can a home visitor be sure that they are being culturally responsive to a family's values related to relationships and problem-solving? Think about that because we know it's not a cookie-cutter approach and we know that there are cultures within cultures. It's important that we don't make any assumptions, and thinking about being culturally responsive, how can a home visitor ensure that that is happening?

We'd like for you to take some time and share some of your thoughts with us in the Q and A. While you're doing that, we do have a few suggestions that we would like for you to consider. First, we want to make sure that the skills that you're introducing are culturally relevant to the family that you're working with. It's important to really take the time and think back to the information that you've gathered as you've been developing a relationship with the family. You want to be sure that you're considering the values, beliefs, what's important to them, what's important that, the importance and the goals that they have for their children, and again, not making any assumptions and really asking these types of questions as you're moving through the process.

We also recommend that you take the time to gather input about social problems that the child may face at home or perhaps other settings that they're participating in. Then lastly, although we just mentioned this, we wanted to place an emphasis on the importance of gathering information about the family's values. As you're building those relationships, as you're observing the family, just really asking those questions, and not making assumptions from your perspective but from how the family states it. It's important to remember that problem-solving and how it is approached is not going to look the same for all families. Again, even if you have families that are from the same culture, what works for one family may not work for another. It's important for the suggestions and the strategies to be culturally responsive and respectful of a family's values. Sarah, folks are still entering their thoughts into the Q and A. Is there anything that you would like to add?

Sarah: Those suggestions you gave are great. Something that I think is important is you want to make sure that teaching problem-solving is relevant. You mentioned that, but we want to make sure that it's meeting the needs of the family, like what you're suggesting. Think about, when I think about it from a coach's perspective, this might be an opportunity to support the home visitor to come up with some ideas.

For example, if a home visitor asks the family what kind of social problems are popping up at home, or in their socialization settings with their child, it could be, “Oh, my child is taking toys, and they don't think sharing is important.” What you might do is offer different suggestions, but it might be tricky for a home visitor if they don't value sharing. What else could I offer? That could be where coming to your coach and trying to brainstorm and problem-solve or with your colleagues or your supervisor. 

If coaching isn't offered, to come up with some different ideas of what they might offer to that family, what they might suggest they teach their child instead. That could be asking for a turn or asking their sibling to give them a turn when they're finished, so there isn't just one right way to do things, and I think sometimes we forget that even as home visitors, our culture and what we value, we bring that into the environment and what we value isn't the only way. That's where getting the input and what the family values because ultimately, you're there to support them to support their child. Remembering that although your culture is relevant as well when you're there to support the family, you want to think about their values and really incorporate it that way.

Some of the responses that are coming in are pretty much in line with what we just talked about. It's looking very similar, getting input from the family, not making assumptions. I'm seeing finding out what they value, learning about their culture is something new that we didn't mention. Getting the parents' input can be really, really helpful. Thank you for those responses.

Joyce: Thank you, and Sarah, like you said, those responses just keep coming in and we encourage you just to keep sharing and keep thinking about, what we need to do to support families in a way that's culturally responsive. 

Now, we want to move into our next portion of our time together, and we want to turn our focus just a bit on looking at how home visitors can support families. We've been talking about this, and that's a great segue into this, so just want to explore that just a little bit more. We want to do that by highlighting the resource, and then you have the link to the resource in your viewer's guide for today.

One resource that was developed by the National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning is “Problem-solving in the Moment.” This is a 15-minute in-service suite developed for preschool classroom teachers to help children problem-solve as they arise or in the moment. We've included a link to those materials in the participant's guide.

The content here really talks about these five steps that support and guide children's behavior to encourage problem-solving in the moment. You'll see that the five steps are here: anticipate, be close, provide support, multiple solutions, and then celebrating the success. We're going to explore each of these steps and relate them to how home visitors can partner with parents to guide their child's behavior at home to problem-solve in the moment. Rosalia is going to help us dig into that a little bit more.

Roselia: Anticipate is the first and very important step of this process. As home visitors, we can really work with parents to try and stay one step ahead of problems by recognizing and being proactive. Home visitors can support parents in sensing some of those changes in a child's behavior, as well as their emotions, and then really starting to pay attention to some of those identifying triggers. Home visitors can also help parents be aware as well as to be ready to activate some of those problem-solving steps that we have been talking about.

Let's move on here and talk about the next step, which is to be close. We know that often parents can be very busy, and they're not always going to be physically close when a problem situation presents itself. What parents can do is to relocate themselves and be near the location when the problem is beginning to occur. That's where it becomes important to start to identify some of those triggers, some of the changes in behaviors that are starting to happen, and then start to relocate. 

We want to work with parents to recognize some signs that a problem is about to occur so that they can then move themselves closer to that situation at this stage, rather than when the problem is in full swing. We want parents to know that when they are close, it's an opportunity for them to be able to explore and to begin to provide some support for their child. As a home visitor, you can really support families in beginning to pay attention, starting to recognize, and when to offer some of that proactive or preemptive support and figuring out some of those patterns of the behavior.

Being close, time also provides for families an opportunity to model how to remain calm and then some of those gentle approaches to problem-solving so when the parents are close, they're better able to support and then talk through identifying the problem as well as some of those possible solutions that we've been talking about. They can also support their child in regulating their emotions before they get to that heightened level, and then it's going to be a lot harder for them to be able to calm down. Parents being close also provides that opportunity for them to be able to provide that comfort that might be needed before things just really become too escalated and get out of control. Joyce, tell us a little bit about what this support might look like.

Joyce: One of the things that home visitors can explore with their family when it comes to being close and providing support for their child is knowing what level of support to provide to really ensure there is a teachable moment taking place. Sometimes, that support means helping their child stay near and in proximity to where the problem happens so they can problem-solve effectively. Sometimes, that could mean prompting their child to walk through the problem-solving steps. 

It can also mean verbal prompting, like, “Do you remember what to do when baby sister doesn't want to take a turn?” or maybe the parent can involve an older sibling in it if they're available, saying, “Hey, let's ask brother what would you do?” Sometimes it's really when children don't have those verbal skills, support can mean to use like visual cues as well and to prompt, that prompts them perhaps, takes them into those problem-solving steps. It really depends; that level of support depends kind of on the specific needs of their child. Knowing it's okay to kind of try out different levels of support to figure out what's needed.

Now we want to talk about the next step, which is multiple solutions. Like we said, there's a whole bunch of different ways to be right about things, and so there can be situations in which one solution maybe a good solution but we know that it may not always work. As children become older, parents can support problem-solving skills by encouraging their child to generate multiple solutions. Maybe with younger children they're going to need parents to support to generate choices or solutions. 

This is going to allow children to begin to grow their own toolbox of solutions to draw from when they encounter problems. The solutions don't need to be complicated and can be as simple as maybe using a timer, waiting patiently, or maybe even flipping a coin. Home visitors can support parents by talking through and really helping parents to determine some solutions they can present and help their child when problem-solving, and when problems arise. Sarah, we just want to tag you in here and ask you, do you have any resources in your toolbox that may support families with identifying solutions at home?

Sarah: There's a great resource from the National Center on Pyramid Model Innovations, and it's called the “Solution Kit.” They have a home edition, and it includes some common solutions to everyday social problems and it comes in multiple languages, which is great. Visual supports can be super helpful for young children and this resource might be something that a home visitor can share with families. 

Another great resource for teaching problem-solving is this scripted story, we can be problem solvers at home. This scripted story can be used by the family to help children understand the steps for problem-solving and it includes some scenario cards that you can use with children to help them think about solutions to common social problems that they're going to face, either in the home or the community. Those are two of my favorite resources.

Roselia: I love those, Sarah. Those are actually some of my favorites as well and I really love that they're visual and that they really have been designed to help support in the home environment, because often we see that there is resources for center-based children, but I love that these are specifically designed for the home. We have included the information in your Participant's Guide Resource List, so we want to make sure that you take the time to explore those and think about ways that you can utilize those with families that you might be supporting. 

Continuing on and thinking about the five steps that we've been talking about, the last step that we want to talk about is just as important as anticipating a problem and that is celebrating success. Reinforcing a child's success in problem-solving really supports their development as effective problem solvers, and as home visitors, we want to be sure that you share this with parents. They can reinforce that celebrating success. It can be formal, or it can be informal. Some examples of that informal celebration might be things such as a high five, acknowledging that they did a really great job, you can give them a thumbs up, a wink, a verbal praise, or even just a hug. 

Just letting them know that you're really proud of how they worked through that particular problem. As home visitors, you can really brainstorm some different options and some of those informal gestures that are culturally appropriate and relevant for their family. Then you can also support them in coming up with some more formal ways to celebrate the success. The important thing here is that we want to make sure that parents are acknowledging when children are working through those problems and that they're becoming much more independent so that children feel accomplished and of course if you recognize it in that positive way, they're going to want to do it again. They're going to feel that appreciation. 

We're going to watch a video clip. In this video clip, you're going to notice that the setting is a preschool classroom and that there are two children that have encountered a problem. We want you to take note on how the teacher handles the situation to really engage the children in working through problem-solving. In your participant's guide, you have some space, and we want for you to take some notes and really pay attention to some of the strategies that the teacher is using. It is a classroom; however, think about how this scenario might play out, perhaps in a home between two siblings or even at a group socialization between two children. Let's take a look.

[Video begins]

Teacher 1: Janny, what's the problem? You're getting it to make the fort and it looks like Amy's holding it too. Thanks, Elena for moving so I could get up. So what are we going to do about it? You both want the same block? What are we going to do about it? How are we going to fix the problem? I'm going to hold the block for a minute while you guys help figure it out. What's your idea?

Child 1: [Inaudible] 

Teacher 1: You want to play with it over there. Shall we find out what Jammy's idea was? What was your idea, Janny?

Child 2: [Inaudible] 

Teacher 1:  Oh, and she thinks she needs it for that building. So, you both need this block for two different buildings. Do you want to look for an idea in the basket? Grab the book. See what you can come up with. There's another one over there, right. I think Amy's got the book. What are we going to do? She's looking, so let's play together, so that would be building the same building together. 

Take a break, so you just take a break from building. Wait until she's done. One more minute, so she would have it for a minute and then you would have it for a minute. You build with something else, maybe next time. Playing together. You would build it together. Do you want to build together, Janny? Look at Amy's talking to you. Sorry, I just said it and Amy was saying it. Sorry about that, Amy. Here. So Amy, you're going to help Janny build her tower.

Child 1: Let's do this one.

Teacher 1: Excellent. You guys are expert problem solvers.

[Video ends] 

Joyce: We see some of the strategies coming through in the Q and A, we'll ask you to keep putting those out there for us, and just want to check in with Rosalia and Sarah to say what did you guys notice anything there about some of those great problem-solving skills that we saw happening?

Sarah: My favorite part of that video is that she really supported those two children to solve their own problem. She gave them support by prompting them to find the materials to help them problem solve. She read through some of the problems with them, or solutions with them, but ultimately the teacher didn't solve the problem for them. And that was really great to see because I think sometimes as adults, we want to be the fixer and in this video the children were really the experts. They were the expert problem solvers here. I thought that was…

Roselia: I agree, Sarah. I really love that and just the anticipation from the teacher, but also having their little solution book that they can kind of, the visual to work through and see they had multiple choices to choose from. That was my favorite part.

Joyce: Yeah, definitely lots to see in that one. I like that one. I think watching the adult and also watching the kids and how they react to that. Sarah, we just want to give you some space as we're kind of wrapping up to hear a little bit more from your coaching experience and just maybe some more tips for supporting home visitors and partnering with families.

Sarah: Sure. It's really important to remember that parents are their children's' best teachers and most children already, most of what children know or what they know when you come into a relationship with that family, has been learned by their parents. As home visitors, when we partner with parents, we really want to set the stage to provide those intentional opportunities for learning within the home setting. 

These tips for child size problems that children can solve with the help of their parents or on their own. Here are some tips that you can share with families to set the stage for their child to become problem solvers. One would be to help the child to relax. When children are faced with a problem, they can become upset, frustrated, angry, they might get their feelings hurt or even cry. 

This is not the time to try to solve the problem. When the child becomes calm, we want to help them to work through their problem, but when they're at the height of these emotions, that's not the time. We want to regulate, use some calming strategies to get them to calm down. Then we can support them to problem solve. You can support families to understand that supporting children to calm down is a really important step of this process. 

We want to make sure that we're giving uninterrupted time. As home visitors you want to partner with parents to help them understand that developing problem-solving skills is complicated and it takes time. Giving them uninterrupted time that's not rushed to talk through and support them to thinking through problems. Also, we want parents to feel like they are a coach. When we're talking about being a coach, we're not talking about home visitors coaching parents but what we mean here is that children at a very young age are still developing these skills. 

We want you to work with parents on developing their ability to identify opportunities and support their children through asking questions and helping their children think and share through what maybe these problems and solutions might be. Active listening is a really important part of this process, as parents it can be hard sometimes, we want to throw out our ideas and suggestions but active listening for children is so important. 

Here are some strategies that a home visitor can share with families, and we want you to jot down some notes in your participant guide. Encourage parents to withhold from solving those problems for children, so support them to support children and not solve them for them. Support parents in developing questions that they might ask when problems arise. Help parents to identify when they are, their critical solutions to their child is proposing, so try not to judge the solution. Sometimes they may be silly; let them try it out. Provide that active listening. All those strategies, you can remember those that will support families.

Joyce: Definitely, and we've included all of these tips in a handout, and that's part of your participant's guide as well. You may think, "What's my role in supporting some of these practices?" Rosalia, if you want to give maybe one kind of tip to close us out, what do you think that one thing would be regarding the role of the home visitor?

Roselia: I think the important thing, and I think Sarah has kind of really touched on this throughout, is just really taking the time to listen to the family. Finding out what's important to them, and then just kind of being a facilitator if you will — just kind of really asking some of those haunting questions to get the parent to start thinking about some of those steps that we talked about, like anticipating that behavior, looking at problem-solving as an opportunity for learning, and just helping children to really put words to those emotions that sometimes even we as adults struggle with. 

I think really being that partner, that reflective partner with the parent, and then providing some of these strategies to help them work through that and again just really seeing it as an opportunity and not necessarily as a behavior that challenges us. Just kind of taking that time to explore with their child and just giving them the words for those emotions to kind of help them become more aware as they kind of go out into the world and face some of those social conflicts if you will. That would be my suggestion.

Joyce: I think that's a great one to leave us with today. Thank you, Sarah, so much for joining us. Thank you everyone here. If you have any questions or anything, drop them in the Q and A. Also, feel free to reach out to us, we have to keep this conversation going, and we will see you guys next time. Thank you.

How young children approach and solve problems is critical to their overall development. Problem-solving supports how young children understand the world around them. It can impact their ability to form relationships as well as the quality of those relationships. Supporting the development of problem-solving skills is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Explore strategies and resources home visitors can use to partner with parents to strengthen and nurture these skills and help children cope with challenges as they arise. 

Note: The evaluation, certificate, and engagement tools mentioned in the video were for the participants of the live webinar and are no longer available. For information about webinars that will be broadcast live soon, visit the Upcoming Events section.

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Resource Type: Video

National Centers: Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning

Age Group: Infants and Toddlers

Audience: Home Visitors

Series: Home Visiting Series

Last Updated: April 5, 2024

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Top 12 Child Care Worker Skills to Put on Your Resume

As a child care worker, showcasing the right combination of skills on your resume is crucial to landing your next job opportunity. Highlighting your top abilities not only demonstrates your expertise in nurturing and educating children but also sets you apart from other candidates in this competitive field.

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How to Improve CPR Certified Skills

To improve your CPR certification as a Child Care Worker, follow these concise steps:

Stay Updated: Regularly refresh your knowledge and skills through recertification courses every two years. American Heart Association ( AHA ) and Red Cross ( ARC ) offer updated guidelines and techniques.

Practice: Engage in hands-on practice sessions. Practical skills are crucial for effective CPR, and many organizations offer practice sessions or manikins for training.

Advanced Courses: Consider taking advanced CPR or pediatric first aid courses for child care providers. These courses cover more in-depth scenarios and child-specific techniques. Check out offerings from AHA or ARC.

Feedback Devices: Use CPR training devices that provide real-time feedback on the quality of your compressions and breaths, enhancing your technique.

Stay Informed: Keep abreast of the latest CPR research and recommendations by visiting reputable sources such as the AHA and ARC websites.

Volunteer: Practice your skills in real-life situations by volunteering at local schools, daycares, or community centers where your CPR skills can be honed in a practical setting.

By staying updated, practicing regularly, and seeking advanced knowledge, you can improve your CPR certification, ensuring you're prepared to respond effectively in emergencies.

How to Display CPR Certified Skills on Your Resume

2. First Aid

First Aid for a Child Care Worker involves the immediate and temporary care given to a child who is injured or becomes ill while under their supervision, aiming to prevent further harm and promote recovery until professional medical help can be provided.

First Aid is crucial for a Child Care Worker as it enables them to provide immediate and effective assistance in emergencies, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children under their care, reducing the severity of injuries or illnesses, and potentially saving lives.

How to Improve First Aid Skills

Improving first aid skills, particularly for a Child Care Worker, involves continuous learning and practice. Here are concise steps to enhance your first aid capabilities:

Update Your Certification : Regularly renew your first aid and CPR certification through recognized organizations. American Red Cross and St. John Ambulance offer specialized courses for child care providers.

Practice Regularly : Hands-on practice is crucial. Participate in first aid drills and simulations to keep your skills sharp.

Stay Informed : Keep up-to-date with the latest first aid guidelines from reputable sources like the American Academy of Pediatrics and CPR/First Aid Guidelines .

Invest in Resources : Purchase up-to-date first aid manuals and kits designed for children. Consider resources like the Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Ready Reference from the American Red Cross.

Attend Workshops and Seminars : Join workshops or webinars focusing on pediatric first aid and child health emergencies. Local hospitals or child care councils often host such events.

Learn from Experience : Share and discuss real-life scenarios with peers. Learning from each other’s experiences can provide valuable insights and enhance preparedness.

Child-Specific First Aid Training : Enroll in courses specifically designed for child care providers, covering topics from choking hazards to allergic reactions.

By following these steps and continuously seeking knowledge, you can significantly improve your first aid skills, ensuring a safer environment for the children under your care.

How to Display First Aid Skills on Your Resume

3. Child Development

Child development refers to the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth that occurs from birth through adolescence, guiding children towards a more independent and mature state. For a Child Care Worker, understanding these developmental stages is crucial to provide age-appropriate care, support learning, and foster a nurturing environment that promotes overall well-being.

Child development is crucial for child care workers to understand because it guides the planning of age-appropriate activities, helps in recognizing developmental milestones and potential delays, and ensures the provision of a nurturing environment that supports the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive growth of children, laying a foundation for their lifelong well-being and success.

How to Improve Child Development Skills

Improving child development in the context of a Child Care Worker involves fostering a supportive, engaging, and safe environment that encourages the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual growth of children. Here are concise strategies:

Create a Stimulating Environment : Set up spaces that are rich in materials and opportunities for exploration and learning. Zero to Three offers resources on creating engaging environments for young children.

Promote Physical Activity : Encourage physical play to support motor development. The CDC’s guidelines for physical activity in children offer useful benchmarks.

Foster Emotional and Social Development : Implement activities that promote empathy, cooperation, and communication. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) provides strategies for supporting social and emotional growth.

Support Cognitive and Language Development : Engage children in conversations, reading, and problem-solving activities. The Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center has resources on fostering cognitive and language abilities.

Encourage Creative Expression : Provide diverse materials and opportunities for children to express themselves through art, music, and play. Explore The Artful Parent for ideas on fostering creativity.

Build a Positive Relationship : Develop a warm, responsive, and trusting relationship with each child. Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child highlights the importance of responsive relationships in early development.

By integrating these strategies, Child Care Workers can significantly contribute to the holistic development of children under their care.

How to Display Child Development Skills on Your Resume

4. Behavior Management

Behavior management, in the context of a Child Care Worker, involves the use of techniques and strategies to guide children's actions positively, encourage appropriate behavior, and prevent or address disruptive or challenging behaviors in a structured and supportive environment.

Behavior management is important for a Child Care Worker because it helps create a safe, supportive, and structured environment, enabling children to learn social skills, self-regulation, and positive behaviors, which are essential for their development and well-being.

How to Improve Behavior Management Skills

Improving behavior management as a Child Care Worker involves understanding the individual needs of children, establishing clear expectations, and implementing consistent strategies. Here are concise steps and resources for enhancing your approach:

Build Positive Relationships : Develop a trusting relationship with each child. Positive interactions form the foundation for effective behavior management. Child Mind Institute

Set Clear Expectations : Clearly communicate your expectations using simple, positive language. Visual aids can be helpful for younger children. Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL)

Use Positive Reinforcement : Reward desired behaviors with praise, attention, or tangible rewards. This encourages children to repeat those behaviors. Verywell Family

Implement Consistent Consequences : Apply consistent and appropriate consequences for undesired behaviors. Ensure the consequences are understood in advance and related to the behavior. Understood

Teach Conflict Resolution : Help children develop the skills to resolve their conflicts through role-playing and guided discussion. NAEYC

Self-Regulation Techniques : Teach children self-regulation techniques like deep breathing or counting to ten. This helps them manage their emotions and reactions. Zero to Three

Continuous Professional Development : Stay informed about the latest strategies in behavior management through workshops, courses, and articles. ChildCare Education Institute

By integrating these strategies, Child Care Workers can effectively manage and improve children’s behavior, fostering a positive and supportive learning environment.

How to Display Behavior Management Skills on Your Resume

5. Lesson Planning

Lesson planning for a Child Care Worker involves creating a structured outline of educational activities and experiences designed to support the developmental needs and interests of children in their care, ensuring a balanced approach to learning and play.

Lesson planning is crucial for Child Care Workers as it ensures structured, engaging, and age-appropriate activities that support children's developmental needs, fosters learning, and maintains a safe and organized environment.

How to Improve Lesson Planning Skills

Improving lesson planning as a Child Care Worker involves a blend of creativity, organization, and ongoing assessment. Here are concise tips to enhance your lesson planning:

Set Clear Objectives: Begin with the end in mind by defining what you want children to learn. Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center offers guidance on setting developmentally appropriate objectives.

Incorporate Diverse Activities: Plan activities that cater to different learning styles and intelligences. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) provides resources on diverse and inclusive teaching strategies.

Plan for Flexibility: Be prepared to adapt your plan based on children's responses and interests. Teach Preschool offers insights into responsive teaching.

Integration Across Curriculum: Design activities that cover multiple areas of development. The Early Childhood Resource Center has examples of integrative lesson plans.

Assessment and Feedback: Include methods to assess learning and gather feedback. The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) offers resources on effective assessment strategies in early education.

Reflect and Revise: Regularly reflect on what worked and what didn’t to continuously improve your plans. The Zero to Three website provides resources on reflective practice.

Seek Inspiration and Collaboration: Share ideas with colleagues and seek inspiration from reputable early childhood education websites. Pinterest can be a great source for creative lesson planning ideas, while Teachers Pay Teachers offers lesson plans and resources created by educators.

How to Display Lesson Planning Skills on Your Resume

6. Nutritional Guidance

Nutritional guidance in the context of a child care worker involves advising and implementing balanced diet plans that promote healthy growth and development for children, while ensuring their dietary needs and preferences are met in a safe and nurturing environment.

Nutritional guidance is crucial for a Child Care Worker because it ensures the healthy growth and development of children, supports their immune system, enhances their ability to learn and concentrate, and establishes lifelong healthy eating habits.

How to Improve Nutritional Guidance Skills

Improving nutritional guidance, especially for a Child Care Worker, involves staying informed, engaging with professionals, and adopting practical strategies. Here are concise steps to enhance your approach:

Educate Yourself : Stay updated with the latest nutritional guidelines from reputable sources like the American Academy of Pediatrics or the USDA’s MyPlate , which offer age-appropriate dietary recommendations.

Engage Families : Collaborate with parents and caregivers by sharing resources, such as the CDC’s Nutrition Basics for Children , to ensure consistency in nutritional guidance at home and in child care.

Plan Balanced Meals : Utilize tools like the USDA’s MyPlate Plan to create balanced meals that meet the nutritional needs of children in your care.

Offer Healthy Choices : Encourage children to try a variety of foods. Resources like ChooseMyPlate provide practical tips on incorporating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins into meals.

Promote Positive Eating Habits : Lead by example and encourage positive behaviors during meal times. The Ellyn Satter Institute offers insights on developing healthy eating habits and relationships with food.

Continuous Education : Attend workshops or online courses focused on child nutrition. Organizations like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offer resources and professional development opportunities for those working with children.

By integrating these strategies, Child Care Workers can significantly improve nutritional guidance, contributing to the well-being and healthy development of the children in their care.

How to Display Nutritional Guidance Skills on Your Resume

7. Safety Protocols

Safety protocols for a child care worker are guidelines and procedures designed to protect children from harm, ensure a safe environment, and respond effectively to emergencies or incidents within childcare settings.

Safety protocols are crucial for child care workers to prevent accidents, ensure a secure environment, and protect children from harm, ensuring their well-being and fostering a trustful relationship with parents.

How to Improve Safety Protocols Skills

Improving safety protocols as a Child Care Worker involves continuous assessment, education, and implementation of best practices. Here are succinct steps to enhance safety:

Ongoing Education : Stay informed about the latest in child safety through certified courses. Council for Professional Recognition and The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offer resources and training.

Risk Assessment : Regularly conduct safety audits of the childcare environment. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) provides guidelines on safe facilities and equipment.

Emergency Preparedness : Develop and regularly update emergency protocols. Ready.gov has resources for creating emergency plans suitable for children.

Health Standards : Follow health protocols to prevent the spread of illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers guidance specific to childcare settings.

Engage and Educate : Teach children about personal safety in a way they can understand. Resources from Safe Kids Worldwide can be integrated into your curriculum.

Parental Communication : Maintain open lines of communication with parents about safety policies and any incidents. Tools like Brightwheel offer secure ways to update and engage parents.

Continuous Improvement : Regularly review and refine safety protocols. Feedback from staff and parents can be invaluable for improvements.

By taking these steps, Child Care Workers can create a safer environment for the children in their care.

How to Display Safety Protocols Skills on Your Resume

8. Emotional Support

Emotional support, in the context of a Child Care Worker, involves providing empathy, understanding, and encouragement to children, helping them feel safe, valued, and capable of expressing their feelings and navigating challenges.

Emotional support is crucial for a Child Care Worker because it helps build a child's confidence, fosters a sense of security, encourages healthy emotional development, and strengthens the child's ability to form positive relationships throughout their life.

How to Improve Emotional Support Skills

Improving emotional support for child care workers involves understanding children's needs and responding appropriately. Here are key strategies:

Active Listening : Show genuine interest in children's feelings. Make eye contact, nod, and paraphrase their words to ensure understanding. Active Listening Techniques

Empathy : Put yourself in the child's shoes to better understand their emotions. Empathy builds trust and a deeper connection. Developing Empathy

Consistent Support : Provide a stable environment where children feel safe to express themselves without fear of judgment. Creating Supportive Environments

Encourage Expression : Use activities like drawing, storytelling, or role-playing to help children express their emotions. Encouraging Emotional Expression

Model Positive Behavior : Demonstrate how to handle emotions in a healthy way. Children learn by example. Modeling Behavior

Education on Emotions : Teach children to identify and name their emotions to better understand and manage them. Teaching About Emotions

Regular Check-Ins : Have consistent, open conversations about feelings, creating an open line of communication. The Importance of Check-Ins

By integrating these strategies, child care workers can significantly enhance the emotional support they provide, fostering a nurturing and emotionally intelligent environment for children.

How to Display Emotional Support Skills on Your Resume

9. Creative Activities

Creative activities for a child care worker involve engaging children in imaginative and expressive tasks such as drawing, painting, crafting, storytelling, music, and dance, aiming to foster creativity, emotional expression, and cognitive development.

Creative activities are crucial for children's development as they foster imagination, improve fine motor skills, encourage problem-solving, enhance emotional expression, and promote social interaction. For Child Care Workers, facilitating these activities supports holistic child development, enabling children to explore their interests and talents in a supportive environment.

How to Improve Creative Activities Skills

Improving creative activities for children, especially in a childcare setting, requires a mix of innovation, flexibility, and understanding of child development. Here are some concise tips for a child care worker:

Diversify Materials : Offer a variety of materials (crayons, paint, clay, fabrics) to stimulate different senses and creativity. NAEYC highlights the importance of arts in learning.

Encourage Open-Ended Activities : Design activities with no specific outcome to promote creativity. The Early Childhood Australia suggests open-ended play fosters imagination.

Incorporate Nature : Use natural materials and outdoor settings to inspire creativity. Nature Explore offers resources for integrating nature into children's learning environments.

Integrate Technology : Wisely incorporate technology to expand creative expression. Common Sense Media provides a list of apps that encourage outdoor play and creativity.

Model Creativity : Demonstrate your own creativity in activities; it can be infectious. Edutopia discusses the role of creativity in education.

Cultivate an Inspiring Environment : Arrange your space to be stimulating and accessible. Community Playthings talks about the impact of purposeful environments on children's learning.

Provide Positive Feedback : Focus on effort and process rather than the final product to encourage more experimentation and risk-taking. Psychology Today explores the balance in nurturing creativity.

Collaborate with Families : Engage families in the creative process, providing ideas for home activities. Zero to Three gives advice on selecting toys that promote creativity.

By implementing these strategies, child care workers can significantly enhance the creative development of the children in their care, fostering an environment of exploration and innovation.

How to Display Creative Activities Skills on Your Resume

10. Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution in child care involves guiding children through understanding their emotions, communicating effectively, and negotiating solutions to disagreements or disputes, fostering a peaceful and respectful environment.

Conflict resolution is crucial for a Child Care Worker as it ensures a safe and nurturing environment, teaches children how to handle disagreements constructively, and fosters social and emotional development by improving communication and empathy skills.

How to Improve Conflict Resolution Skills

Improving conflict resolution, especially for a Child Care Worker, involves:

Active Listening : Ensure you understand each child's perspective by attentively listening to what they say. Zero to Three offers insights on fostering understanding and empathy in children.

Emotional Regulation : Teach children to manage their emotions. Techniques can be found on Child Mind Institute .

Use I-Statements : Encourage the use of "I" statements to express feelings without blaming. For example, "I feel sad when my toy is taken." The Center for Parenting Education outlines the effectiveness of this approach.

Problem-Solving Skills : Guide children through the process of identifying a problem and coming up with possible solutions collaboratively. The Conscious Discipline website provides resources for teaching problem-solving skills in a classroom setting.

Modeling Behavior : Act as a role model in resolving conflicts. Children learn by example, so demonstrating peaceful resolution tactics is essential. NAEYC provides strategies for modeling positive behavior.

Setting Clear Rules and Expectations : Establish and communicate clear, consistent rules regarding how to interact and resolve disputes. PBS offers guidance on setting and enforcing rules.

Reinforce Positive Behavior : Acknowledge and reward positive interactions and successful conflict resolutions. Strategies for positive reinforcement can be found on Positive Parenting Ally.

Implementing these strategies requires patience and ongoing effort but can significantly improve conflict resolution skills in children, fostering a more harmonious and supportive environment.

How to Display Conflict Resolution Skills on Your Resume

11. Time Management

Time management for a Child Care Worker involves efficiently organizing daily tasks and activities to ensure a balanced routine that meets the needs of children, including their educational, emotional, and physical development, within the set hours of care.

Time management is crucial for a Child Care Worker as it ensures efficient organization of daily activities, maximizes productivity, enhances the quality of care given to children, and reduces stress for both the caregiver and the children.

How to Improve Time Management Skills

Improving time management as a Child Care Worker involves strategic planning and prioritization to balance caregiving responsibilities with other duties. Here are concise steps:

• Plan Ahead : Start each day with a clear plan. Use tools like Google Calendar to schedule activities, appointments, and tasks.
• Set Priorities : Focus on what's most important. The Eisenhower Box can help differentiate between urgent and important tasks.
• Time Blocking : Allocate specific blocks of time for different activities. This technique, explained by Cal Newport , ensures that you dedicate time to both child care and administrative tasks.
• Delegate : Share responsibilities with colleagues or assistants when possible. Understanding effective delegation is key to managing your workload.
• Use Technology : Adopt childcare management software like Brightwheel for attendance tracking, communication with parents, and planning activities, to save time and enhance efficiency.
• Self-Care : Prioritize your well-being. Effective time management also includes breaks and self-care to prevent burnout, as suggested by Mind.

By following these steps, Child Care Workers can better manage their time, ensuring a productive and balanced professional life.

How to Display Time Management Skills on Your Resume

12. Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office is a collection of programs used for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and managing emails, often used in offices, including child care centers, for organizing schedules, planning activities, and communication.

Microsoft Office is important for a Child Care Worker because it helps in creating lesson plans, tracking children's progress, communicating with parents, and managing schedules efficiently.

How to Improve Microsoft Office Skills

Improving Microsoft Office for a Child Care Worker involves tailoring its functionalities to streamline documentation, communication, and creative tasks. Here are concise strategies:

Utilize Templates :

• Create or download templates specific to child care needs (e.g., attendance sheets, activity schedules) for quick documentation in Word or Excel.
• Office Templates

Implement OneNote :

• Use OneNote for organizing child observations, notes, and planning. Its multimedia capabilities allow for a comprehensive child portfolio.
• OneNote in Education

Explore PowerPoint :

• Design engaging educational content or story slides for children with PowerPoint. Its animation and design tools can help create interactive learning experiences.
• PowerPoint Training

Leverage Excel :

• Utilize Excel for tracking child development milestones, dietary information, or scheduling. PivotTables can simplify data analysis.
• Excel Training

Embrace Outlook :

• Organize communication with parents and staff effectively through Outlook. Use calendar features for scheduling meetings or reminders for important events.
• Outlook Training

Educational Use of Forms :

• Create surveys or quizzes for feedback from parents or educational assessments for children with Microsoft Forms.
• Microsoft Forms

By integrating these strategies, a Child Care Worker can enhance their productivity and communication, ensuring a more organized and interactive environment for children.

How to Display Microsoft Office Skills on Your Resume

Related Career Skills

• Child Care Aide
• Child Care Assistant
• Child Care Attendant
• Childcare Worker
• Direct Care Worker
• Personal Care Worker

20 Common Child Care Assistant Interview Questions and Answers

Common Child Care Assistant interview questions, how to answer them, and sample answers from a certified career coach.

Working with children is a rewarding job, but the interview process can be intimidating. The hiring manager will want to make sure you have the right skills and experience to take on the role.

To help you prepare for your upcoming child care assistant interview, we’ve compiled a list of common questions you might encounter. With these tips in hand, you’ll be ready to answer any question that comes your way—and show why you’re the best fit for the job!

• What is your experience working with children of different ages?
• Describe a time when you had to handle a difficult situation involving a child in your care.
• How do you ensure that the environment is safe and secure for all children?
• Explain your understanding of the importance of play-based learning for young children.
• What strategies do you use to encourage positive behavior in children?
• How do you handle conflicts between children in your care?
• Are you familiar with any early childhood education curriculums or programs?
• Describe your approach to helping children develop social skills.
• What would you do if a child was not following instructions or behaving inappropriately?
• How do you create an inclusive environment where all children feel welcome and respected?
• What strategies do you use to help children learn new concepts and skills?
• How do you communicate effectively with parents about their child’s progress and development?
• Do you have any experience teaching basic life skills such as hygiene, manners, etc.?
• How do you handle discipline issues with children in your care?
• What are some of the most important safety protocols you follow when caring for children?
• How do you foster creativity and imagination in children?
• What strategies do you use to engage children who may be shy or reluctant to participate?
• Describe your experience working with children with special needs.
• How do you keep up with the latest trends and developments in early childhood education?
• Tell me about a time when you had to collaborate with other staff members to support a child in your care.

1. What is your experience working with children of different ages?

Working with children of different ages means having to understand the unique needs and abilities of each age group. This question allows the interviewer to gauge your experience level and comfort working with children of different ages. It also gives the interviewer insight into how you handle challenges that may arise when dealing with different age groups.

How to Answer:

To answer this question, you should provide examples of your experience working with children of different ages. You can also talk about how you have adapted to the needs and abilities of each age group. Additionally, you can discuss any strategies or techniques that you use when dealing with different age groups. Finally, be sure to emphasize your patience and understanding when it comes to working with children of all ages.

Example: “I have experience working with children of all ages, from toddlers to pre-teens. I understand that each age group has different needs and abilities, so I am very patient and adaptable when it comes to providing care. For example, I know that toddlers need more structure and guidance than older children, so I make sure to provide clear rules and expectations. With the older kids, I focus on encouraging independence and creativity. I also use positive reinforcement techniques such as praise and rewards to motivate them. Overall, I believe in treating every child with respect and kindness.”

2. Describe a time when you had to handle a difficult situation involving a child in your care.

Taking care of children requires a great deal of patience and an ability to think on one’s feet. An interviewer asking this question is looking to see if you have the skills necessary to handle difficult situations, which are often part of the job. They will be looking to see how you handled a situation, how you dealt with the child, and what the outcome of the situation was.

When answering this question, it is important to be honest and provide details of the situation. Describe what happened, how you handled it, and the outcome. Show that you are able to stay calm in difficult situations and can use your problem-solving skills to come up with a solution. Be sure to also mention any steps you took to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.

Example: “I have always taken child safety very seriously and I make sure that the environment is well organized and secure. I also ensure that all doors are locked at all times, and I use a buddy system to make sure nobody is ever left alone. When it comes to difficult situations, I remain calm and try to find a solution that works best for everyone involved. For example, last year when one of the children was having difficulty calming down, I took him aside and had a conversation with him about his feelings. Through this process, he was eventually able to relax and we were able to move on.”

3. How do you ensure that the environment is safe and secure for all children?

Child care assistants need to be able to ensure the safety and security of the children they are looking after. They need to know how to create a safe environment and be able to respond quickly and appropriately to any potential issues. Interviewers want to know that you have the proper knowledge and experience to be able to provide a safe and secure environment for children.

You should be prepared to discuss the different steps you take to ensure a safe and secure environment for all children. You can talk about how you maintain an organized space, follow safety protocols such as ensuring doors are locked, or even implementing a buddy system where no child is left alone. Additionally, you can explain your ability to respond quickly and appropriately to any potential issues that may arise. Be sure to emphasize your commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for children at all times.

Example: “I take the safety and security of all children very seriously. I always ensure that the environment is organized, clean, and free from potential hazards. I also make sure that doors are locked at all times and implement a buddy system so no child is left alone. In addition, I’m trained in first aid and CPR and am able to respond quickly and appropriately to any issues that may arise. Above all else, I’m committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all children.”

4. Explain your understanding of the importance of play-based learning for young children.

Play-based learning has been proven to be an effective way to help children develop important skills such as problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking. It is essential that a child care assistant understand the importance of play-based learning, as it is often a key part of the job. This question allows the interviewer to gauge your understanding of the concept and your ability to apply it in a child care setting.

You should start your answer by explaining the importance of play-based learning for young children. You can explain that it is a hands-on, interactive way to help children learn and develop important skills such as communication, problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking, and self-regulation. Then provide an example of how you have implemented play-based learning in a child care setting. This could include activities like dramatic play, art projects, or outdoor exploration. Finally, emphasize why you think play-based learning is essential for young children and how you strive to create meaningful experiences for them.

Example: “I understand that play-based learning is essential for young children, as it helps them learn important skills such as communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking. I have implemented this concept in my work with children by creating activities like dramatic play, art projects, or outdoor exploration. These hands-on experiences help to engage the child in a meaningful way and teach them valuable lessons. Play-based learning also encourages creativity, which I believe is an essential part of childhood development. It is my goal to create a safe and stimulating environment for the children in my care, where they can explore and learn through play.”

5. What strategies do you use to encourage positive behavior in children?

When it comes to child care, it’s not enough to just be able to entertain the kids. You will be expected to be able to create a safe, positive environment where children can learn, explore, and grow. Strategies for encouraging positive behavior may include setting clear expectations, modeling appropriate behavior, and providing positive reinforcement when children make good choices. This question allows the interviewer to assess your ability to manage a classroom and keep children safe while also promoting a positive learning environment.

Start by talking about the strategies you use to set expectations for children. Explain how you explain rules and consequences in a way that is clear and age-appropriate, and how you use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior. You should also discuss any techniques you have used to redirect negative behaviors, such as offering alternative activities or taking a child aside for a one-on-one conversation. Finally, be sure to mention any methods you use to reward positive behavior, such as giving out stickers or other small rewards.

Example: “I believe that setting clear expectations is the first step in encouraging positive behavior. I take time to explain rules and consequences in a way that each child can understand, and then I make sure they know what’s expected of them by providing consistent reminders throughout the day. When it comes to redirecting negative behaviors, I use redirection techniques such as offering alternative activities or engaging in one-on-one conversations with children. Finally, I like to reward positive behaviors with small rewards, such as stickers or verbal praise. I find this helps motivate children to continue making good choices.”

6. How do you handle conflicts between children in your care?

Conflict is a natural part of childhood, and it’s important that childcare providers know how to handle it. Interviewers want to know you’re prepared to handle these situations in a way that is safe for all involved and is reflective of the values you and the organization have. Having a plan in place for how to handle conflicts is an important part of being a childcare provider and something many employers will look for when making hiring decisions.

Your answer should demonstrate that you’re prepared to handle conflicts in a way that is respectful of all involved. Talk about the steps you take when a conflict arises, such as talking with the children separately and then together, setting clear expectations for behavior, and encouraging open communication between the children. Highlight any experience you have handling conflicts in the past and how it has helped you become better at managing them now. Finally, emphasize that your goal is always to help the children resolve their issues in a safe and respectful manner.

Example: “When a conflict arises between children in my care, I always take the time to speak with them separately and then together. I like to start by asking each child what happened and why they think it did—this helps me understand both sides of the story. Then we work together as a group to come up with an appropriate resolution that everyone can agree on. I also make sure to set clear expectations for behavior going forward so that everyone is on the same page. My goal is always to help the children resolve their issues in a safe and respectful manner.”

7. Are you familiar with any early childhood education curriculums or programs?

Working with young children requires a certain level of understanding about how young children learn and develop. If you have prior experience with any early childhood education curriculums or programs, it can help the interviewer understand your level of knowledge and experience in working with young children. It also shows that you are committed to providing quality care and education to the children in your care.

If you have experience with any early childhood education curriculums or programs, explain the ones you are familiar with and how your experience has helped you understand child development. If you don’t have any experience, mention any courses or workshops that you may have taken related to early childhood education and explain how they have given you a better understanding of working with young children. You can also emphasize your commitment to learning more about early childhood education by mentioning any additional classes or workshops you plan to take in the future.

Example: “I have experience with a few different early childhood education curriculums, including the Creative Curriculum and HighScope. I’ve found that these programs are effective in helping children learn through play-based activities and can help foster their social-emotional development. In addition to my experience with these two curriculums, I also attended several workshops on child development and brain research which has given me further insight into how young children learn best. I am committed to continuing to expand my knowledge of early childhood education and am eager to explore any other educational programs or tools your facility uses.”

8. Describe your approach to helping children develop social skills.

Child care assistants need to be able to help children develop social skills. The interviewer wants to know if you are familiar with the development stages of children, how to use positive reinforcement to encourage social behavior, and how to help children build positive relationships with their peers. Your answer should demonstrate that you understand the importance of these interactions and that you are prepared to facilitate them.

Start by talking about your experience in helping children develop social skills. For example, you can discuss how you have used role-playing and other activities to help children better understand the importance of being kind and considerate to others. You can also mention that you use positive reinforcement techniques to encourage good behavior and that you create opportunities for children to interact with their peers in a safe and supportive environment. Finally, make sure to emphasize your belief that all children should be treated with respect and kindness regardless of their age or background.

Example: “I believe that encouraging children to develop social skills is an important part of their growth and development. I use a variety of activities and techniques to help children learn how to interact with others in a positive way. I use role-playing and other activities to help children understand the importance of being kind and considerate to others. I also use positive reinforcement techniques to encourage good behavior and create opportunities for children to interact with their peers in a safe and supportive environment. I believe that all children should be treated with respect and kindness regardless of their age or background.”

9. What would you do if a child was not following instructions or behaving inappropriately?

Working with children comes with certain challenges, and potential employers need to know that you’re prepared to handle them. This question is an opportunity for you to showcase your knowledge of appropriate behavior management techniques as well as your commitment to creating a safe environment for the children in your care.

This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of positive behavior management techniques. You can start by talking about how you would first try to understand why the child is not following instructions or behaving inappropriately, and then talk through what strategies you might use to address it. For example, you could discuss using redirection, setting clear expectations, providing positive reinforcement, or engaging in active listening. It’s also important to emphasize that you prioritize safety and would take any necessary steps to ensure the children are safe.

Example: “If a child is not following instructions or behaving inappropriately, I would first try to understand why they are behaving that way. I would use positive behavior management techniques such as redirection and setting clear expectations. I would also provide positive reinforcement when they are exhibiting appropriate behavior. I would also take the time to actively listen to the child and try to understand their perspective. Above all, I would prioritize safety and take any necessary steps to ensure the children in my care are safe.”

10. How do you create an inclusive environment where all children feel welcome and respected?

In a child care setting, it’s essential to create a safe and nurturing environment that is welcoming to all children. You should be able to demonstrate the ability to create an environment that is inclusive of all children’s backgrounds, abilities, and needs. The interviewer wants to make sure you have the skills needed to do this, as well as the sensitivity to treat all children with respect.

Start by talking about what you’ve done in the past to create an inclusive environment. You can mention specific activities or strategies that you have used such as group activities, storytelling, and role-playing. Talk about how you strive to make sure all children are included in these activities and how you take into account their individual needs. Additionally, discuss any special training or certifications you have received related to creating a safe and respectful environment for children.

Example: “I believe in creating a safe and nurturing environment that is welcoming to all children. I strive to make sure all children are included in activities, and I take into account their individual needs. I have completed special training in child development and have certification in early childhood education. I also have experience in creating group activities and role-playing games that are designed to promote cooperation and understanding among the children. I believe that it is important to treat all children with respect and ensure that they feel welcome and valued in the classroom.”

11. What strategies do you use to help children learn new concepts and skills?

Working with young children requires creativity and patience. Employers want to know that you are able to come up with age-appropriate activities and approaches to help children learn and grow. They’ll want to know that you understand how to engage children in a way that’s both fun and educational.

Explain the strategies you use to help children learn. You can talk about how you create a safe and stimulating environment for them to explore, as well as how you use play-based activities and games to teach new concepts. If you have experience with using technology or other tools in teaching, discuss that too. Additionally, focus on your ability to be flexible and adaptable to different learning styles and needs.

Example: “I believe in creating a fun, learning-oriented environment for children. I use play-based activities, games, and stories to help them explore and learn concepts. I also use technology, such as educational apps and online games, to engage children and keep them interested. I’m also flexible and adaptable to different learning styles and needs, and I’m always looking for new and creative ways to help children learn and grow.”

12. How do you communicate effectively with parents about their child’s progress and development?

Parents trust their child care provider to care for their little one while they are away. They also want to know that their provider is keeping them informed about their child’s progress and development. They need to have faith that you will be able to effectively and clearly communicate any changes or concerns with them. This question is a great way to gauge how you plan to handle such delicate situations.

You should come prepared to answer this question with an example of how you have communicated effectively with parents in the past. Talk about your approach, such as setting up regular meetings or sending emails and reports, and any special techniques you’ve used to keep parents informed. You can also discuss any methods you use to ensure that all information is understood by both parties. Finally, be sure to emphasize your commitment to working with parents to provide the best care for their child.

Example: “I believe that effective communication between parents and child care providers is essential to ensure that both parties are on the same page when it comes to the child’s progress and development. I always make sure to meet with parents regularly and provide them with updates on their child’s progress. I also make sure to explain any changes or concerns in a way that is easy to understand. I use simple language and visuals to help explain concepts and provide examples of successful activities for parents to try at home. I strive to be as transparent and open with parents as possible, and I am always willing to answer questions or address any concerns they might have.”

13. Do you have any experience teaching basic life skills such as hygiene, manners, etc.?

As a child care assistant, you’ll be responsible for teaching children life skills that are essential for their development. This question helps the interviewer determine if you have the necessary experience to handle this task. It also gives you the opportunity to showcase the skills and knowledge you have that can help the children in your care.

To answer this question, you should provide specific examples of experience teaching basic life skills. You can mention any experiences you have teaching children in the past such as leading activities at a daycare or summer camp. It’s also important to emphasize your ability to be creative and adaptable when it comes to teaching these skills. You should explain how you tailor lessons based on the age group and individual needs of each child. Finally, highlight any special techniques that you use to make learning fun and engaging for the children.

Example: “I have a lot of experience teaching basic life skills to children. I’ve worked as a camp counselor and daycare assistant, and I’ve also led activities at a local after-school program. In my role as a daycare assistant, I was responsible for teaching children about hygiene, manners, and other basic life skills. I’m very creative when it comes to teaching these skills and I’m able to tailor my lessons to the age group and individual needs of each child. I also like to make learning fun and engaging by incorporating games and activities into my lessons. I believe that teaching these skills in an interactive and enjoyable way helps children to retain the information better.”

14. How do you handle discipline issues with children in your care?

This is a great question to ask a potential hire for a child care position. It’s important for a caregiver to have a firm, but fair, approach to discipline. The interviewer wants to know that you understand the importance of enforcing boundaries and setting expectations for children in your care. They will also want to make sure that you are able to use positive reinforcement techniques to encourage good behavior.

You should explain that you understand the importance of enforcing boundaries and setting expectations for children in your care. Explain how you use positive reinforcement techniques such as praise and rewards to encourage good behavior, while also explaining how you handle discipline issues with firmness and fairness. Be sure to include examples of how you have handled difficult situations in the past.

Example: “I understand the importance of setting boundaries and expectations for children in my care. I always strive to use positive reinforcement techniques such as praise and rewards to encourage good behavior. When dealing with discipline issues, I strive to be firm but fair. I believe it is important to address the behavior in a calm and respectful manner, while also explaining why the behavior is not acceptable. I have had success in the past by redirecting the child’s attention to a more constructive activity and providing positive reinforcement when the child follows the rules. I also make sure to provide the child with clear expectations for their behavior and consequences for not following the rules.”

15. What are some of the most important safety protocols you follow when caring for children?

Working with children means keeping safety as your top priority. Interviewers want to know that you understand the importance of safety protocols and that you take them seriously. Examples of safety protocols you could mention include having a first-aid kit on hand, making sure to always supervise children, and keeping hazardous materials and objects out of reach.

Start by mentioning the safety protocols you’re already familiar with. For example, you could mention that you always make sure to supervise children at all times, keep hazardous materials and objects out of reach, and have a first-aid kit on hand in case of an emergency. You can also talk about how you stay up to date on any new safety protocols or changes in regulations related to child care. Finally, emphasize your commitment to ensuring the safety of the children in your care.

Example: “I take the safety of the children in my care very seriously. I always make sure to supervise them at all times, keep hazardous materials and objects out of reach, and have a first-aid kit on hand in case of an emergency. I also stay up to date on any new safety protocols or changes in regulations related to child care so that I can ensure the safety of the children in my care. I understand that safety is of the utmost importance when caring for children and I take every precaution to make sure they are safe and secure.”

16. How do you foster creativity and imagination in children?

Creative and imaginative play is an integral part of a child’s development. It helps them build problem-solving skills, helps them express themselves, and helps them better understand the world around them. As a child care assistant, you’ll be expected to create a safe and nurturing environment where children can explore and express their creativity. The interviewer wants to make sure you understand the importance of this and can explain how you would go about fostering it.

Before the interview, take some time to think about different activities you’ve done in the past that have fostered creativity and imagination in children. You can also talk about how you would encourage creativity through open-ended questions, storytelling, music, art projects, or games. Explain how you create an environment where children feel comfortable exploring their imaginations and expressing themselves without fear of judgment. Finally, don’t forget to mention how important it is to provide positive reinforcement when a child shows creativity and imagination.

Example: “I believe that creativity and imagination are key components of a child’s development and I strive to create an environment where children feel comfortable exploring their imaginations. I encourage creativity through open-ended questions, storytelling, music, art projects, and games. I also make sure to provide positive reinforcement when a child shows creativity and imagination. I think it’s important to allow children to express themselves without fear of judgment, which I strive to do in my interactions with them.”

17. What strategies do you use to engage children who may be shy or reluctant to participate?

Working with children requires patience and creativity. You need to be able to think on your feet and keep young minds and bodies engaged. When interviewing for a child care assistant position, the interviewer will want to know you can handle the unique challenges that come with working with children. They’ll want to know you can create an environment where all of the children feel comfortable and can participate in activities.

To answer this question, you should talk about strategies that you have used in the past to engage children who may be shy or reluctant to participate. Talk about how you create a safe and welcoming environment for all of the children, including those who are shy. You can also discuss how you use positive reinforcement and encouragement to help build their confidence. Additionally, emphasize your ability to think outside of the box and come up with creative activities that will keep them engaged and motivated.

Example: “I believe that creating a safe and welcoming environment for all of the children is essential for engaging those who may be shy or reluctant to participate. I use positive reinforcement and encouragement to help build their confidence. Additionally, I like to think outside the box and come up with creative activities that will keep them engaged and motivated. For example, I have used role-playing activities, art projects, and music games to help engage children who may be shy or reluctant to participate. I believe that these activities help to foster a sense of community and create an atmosphere where all of the children can feel comfortable and participate.”

18. Describe your experience working with children with special needs.

Working with children with special needs can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be difficult and challenging. This question is designed to test your knowledge and experience in working with these children. The interviewer wants to know that you have the skills and background to work with these children and can handle difficult situations with patience, empathy, and understanding.

Start by discussing your experience working with children with special needs. Talk about any specialized training you’ve taken, such as courses in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) or Positive Behavior Support (PBS). Be sure to also discuss any hands-on experiences you have had and how they have helped you become a better childcare assistant. Finally, emphasize the importance of patience, understanding, and empathy when working with these children and explain why it is essential for success in this field.

Example: “I have experience working with children with special needs, both in a classroom setting and in one-on-one settings. I have taken courses in Applied Behavior Analysis and Positive Behavior Support, which have provided me with the tools and strategies to effectively work with these children. I also have hands-on experience providing direct care for children with special needs. I understand the importance of patience and empathy, and I strive to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all children, regardless of their abilities. I am confident that I can provide the quality care and support that these children need.”

19. How do you keep up with the latest trends and developments in early childhood education?

Working in early childhood education requires more than just a basic understanding of child development. You’ll need to stay on top of the latest research, methods, and strategies so you can provide the best care possible to the children in your care. This question is designed to assess your commitment to staying up-to-date and knowledgeable in your field.

Prepare for this question by thinking of the ways you stay up-to-date on early childhood education. Do you read research papers? Attend conferences and workshops? Follow experts in the field on social media or blogs? Talk about any professional development activities you’ve done, such as taking classes or pursuing certifications. Additionally, talk about how you use this knowledge to inform your work with children—for example, if you’ve implemented a new technique that has had positive results.

Example: “I’m always looking for ways to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in early childhood education. I have a subscription to a few educational journals and I regularly attend conferences and workshops related to my field. Additionally, I follow experts in the field on social media and blogs, and I’m always looking for new books and articles to read. I’m also a member of a local early childhood education professional organization, which provides a great opportunity to network with other professionals and learn from their experiences. I use this knowledge to inform my work with the children I care for—for example, I recently implemented a new technique that has had positive results in helping them develop their communication skills.”

20. Tell me about a time when you had to collaborate with other staff members to support a child in your care.

Working as a child care assistant is not only a solitary job, but it also requires you to work with other staff members. This could include teachers, administrators, other assistants, and other staff members. In order to provide the best care for a child, you must be able to work together to come up with creative solutions and strategies that will help the child reach their goals. This question will help the interviewer understand your ability to collaborate and problem solve with other people.

For this question, you should provide a specific example of when you had to work with other staff members to support a child in your care. Talk about the situation and why it was important for you to collaborate with others. Describe how you worked together to come up with solutions and strategies that were beneficial for the child. Be sure to emphasize how everyone’s efforts made a positive impact on the child’s wellbeing.

Example: “I recently had to collaborate with other staff members to support a child in my care who was having difficulty managing their emotions. I worked with the teachers and administrators to develop a plan that would help the child learn to better express their feelings. We brainstormed ideas on how to create a safe and supportive environment for the child, and came up with strategies to help them learn to manage their emotions better. We also worked together to provide the child with additional support and resources to help them succeed. The collaboration between staff members was essential in helping the child make progress and I was proud to be a part of it.”

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