Handling Challenging Behaviors in Child Care: Aggression and Anger in Young Children

This resource list provides helpful information about managing challenging behaviors in child care settings.

IEL Resources

• Tip Sheet: Helping the Often-Angry Child
• Podcast: Feelings Are Fantastic (audio)
• Blog: Feelings Are Fantastic (blog)
• Podcast: Supporting Young Children’s Friendships: An Interview with Dr. Michaelene Ostrosky
• Illinois Early Learning Guidelines: Self-Regulation: Behavior Regulation

Web Resources

• Dealing with the Angry Child
  This article from the Virginia Cooperative Extension explains that parents and teachers can help children learn to cope with their feelings of anger and to express them appropriately.
• Angry Kids: Dealing With Explosive Behavior
  How you react when a child lashes out has an effect on whether he will continue to respond to distress in the same way, or learn better ways to handle feelings so they don’t become overwhelming. The Child Mind Institute explains how adults should respond when children lash out.
• Helping Young Children Channel Their Aggression
  This Zero to Three article presents 12 suggestions that may help parents provide aggressive children with the guidance they need.
• Aggressive Behavior in Toddlers
  This Zero to Three article will help parents help their child learn to manage strong emotions and reactions as they become aware of themselves as separate individuals from their parents and the other important people in their world.
• Helping Young Children Control Anger and Handle Disappointment
  Controlling anger and impulse is perhaps the most difficult task of emotional literacy. This article from the Center on Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning explains how teachers can play a significant role in helping children learn to control their anger and impulses and to handle disappointment in appropriate ways.
• Why Are These Children Acting This Way?
  This video by STARnet Regions I & III Apples Video Magazine presents that all behaviors communicate messages. Children need teachers who model and encourage respectful interactions.
• Understanding Behavior
  These resources from Barton Lab address the function of behavior, and include the ABCs of Behavior, Choosing Strategies, and Teaching Replacement Skills.