Boundaries and Personal Space

Learning about the rules of different environments and people is an important part of a child's development. Things that are okay with one person or in one setting may not be with another. It is something most adults do without even realizing it. (Sometimes we call it Code Switching.) Kids naturally need to be taught these unspoken and spoken rules of life so that they can stay safe and happy.

Here are a few ways that we approach it in preschool. Some examples and strategies work better than others for each individual. It would be great if you can review these and implement them into your conversations to help reinforce their learning.

If you have questions, concerns, or ideas, please let me know!

Social Circles

This is a way of speaking about actions and rules that is very easy to digest visually. The idea is that each layer has different expectations and norms. It is a great way to practice with your kids too. Give them an example of an action and see where they would put it.

Videos and Songs

The Boundaries Song

Spanish Boundaries Video

A Little Respectful Spot (Read Aloud)

The Feelings Song

My Body Has a Bubble (Read Aloud)

Materials

Feelings Puppets

Mr. Rogers got it right because these puppets are a huge part of how I help kids process big feelings. The child chooses a puppet and I also choose one. It helps them detach themselves from the situation and "help" the puppet understand what to do next. It can also be helpful for the child to reenact the situation with the puppets to work through what went wrong and how to do things differently next time.