Grab Two Give One
Rather than compete for an object, a child can initiate play with a peer.
Learning Seeds Engagement Strategies
Comic Strip by Cynthia Yuan Cheng
Challenging Moment: When a child wants to get a toy or object, and a peer wants the same object.
A Strategy to Try: Grab 2, Give 1
Hand the child two objects of interest to them (one for each hand), and provide a binary choice, "Which one will you give to your peer?"
What Happens:
The child has a concrete way to start an interaction with matching objects.
For a child who is struggles to use verbal communication with peers, this is a physical gesture that can foster connection.
For a child who is initiating physically by grabbing or taking objects from peers, this replaces negative physical initiation with positive physical initiation.
When children's hands are both full, they are less likely to swat, grab, or push away a peer who wants the same toy.
