making choices: • Clothing: e.g. which socks, which t-shirt, which cap • Food: what shape to cut sandwiches (halves or triangles), what spreads or fillings for sandwiches (marmite or honey), carrots cut in sticks or circles • Appearance: Hair style – pig tails or one pony tail, plaited or straight, ribbons or not; haircuts – fringe or no fringe, shaved or not, short or long. • What book to read • Play activities. • Who to invite for a birthday or to come over and play • Who to make a card/letter for.

Process:

• In the beginning offer an either/or choice, for example: blue socks or red socks; marmite or peanut butter etc

• Progress to giving more open-ended choices such as: what shape would you like your sandwich today? What t-shirt would you like to wear today?

• Allow children to experience the consequences of their actions (provided they are not put in danger!)

What next:

• Have a drawer of clothes your child can freely choose from each day and a separate drawer for clothes that are not for everyday choice

• Have some cupboards or drawers for children to access and choose from and some that are not for them to use

• Have a box of books at your child’s level for them to freely choose from

• Have a designated ‘art and craft’ space with things your child can freely choose and use

Did you know:

• When children can make choices they are more motivated and engaged

• Giving children choices helps to minimise confrontation. When children feel a sense of control they are more likely be cooperative

What your child is learning:

• An increasing ability to determine their own actions

• That choices have consequences

• To think for themselves

• To be more independent

• About cause and effect

• It’s okay to think differently