Was that four square ball in or out? Who was first in line? Who gets to use the red chalk first?

Injustices on the playground are unavoidable, John—and after a long day, you can feel more like an overworked crisis negotiator than an elementary school teacher.

The good news is that kids want to solve conflict on their own! They just need the right tools.

Recess Lab has got your back.

Read up on effective conflict-resolution techniques like Rock Paper Scissors; I-Messages; and Peace Paths—practice them with your students and then let us know how it's going.

It's natural to want to solve conflicts for kids as soon as they occur: "I saw you take Emily's ball. Give it back and say you're sorry." But independent conflict resolution is a social skill that is critical and takes practice. When children know how to handle a situation, they won't see conflict as someone else's problem.

Brush up on the simple and powerful Rock Paper Scissors with this helpful video.

For resolving conflict, we're a big fan of I-Messages, intentional language that teaches kids to recognize emotions, both in themselves and others. I-statements—"I feel ___ when you ___"—allow children to identify their feelings (and the feelings of their peers) instead of blaming others.

And finally, Peace Paths are a step-by-step guide for students to follow when resolving conflicts. "I imagine [Janie] felt ___ when ___ happened." You can paint it right on your playground for easy access.

Try them all or just one this week.

For more, check out the full resource page on resolving conflicts.

Thanks for all you do to help kids play at recess.

Your Recess Lab Team