Today, in the morning indoor play, there was a situation where two children wanted the same toy truck so, one child became upset and began to cry. I saw this and tried to respond this situation by sitting at the level of child and acknowledged their feelings by saying “I can see you are really upset because you want the truck but what about we share it and take it 5 minutes after your friend or else you can have the other truck we have in there” and offered the similar truck. This linked with EYLF V2.0 Outcome 1.4 – Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect (AGDE, 2022).

This interaction reflected intentional teaching and responsive engagement, core to NQS QA5.2.1: collaborative learning, which emphasises behaviour guidance that preserves dignity and promotes emotional development (ACECQA, 2020). I showed professionalism by staying calm, patient, and respectful, modelling empathy and conflict resolution as outlined in the ECA Code of Ethics (Early Childhood Australia, 2016) and supported by Graduate Standard 4.3: manage challenging behaviour (AITSL, 2011).

Using emotion teaching approaches, I supported child’s ability to name their feelings and guided them towards a solution. According to recent studies, helping young children label emotions and navigate peer conflict promotes emotional regulation and resilience (Thümmler et al., 2022).

I also supported the other child to understand the concept of fairness by suggesting timer like you can have it after 5 minutes to signal turns. This strategy supported shared problem-solving which is a critical element of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, where adults scaffold social understanding within real-life interactions (McLeod, 2025).

Cultural responsiveness and equity were included by using inclusive, affirming language and being aware of differing emotional expression styles. I avoided harsh language and instead encouraged empathy and respect which is key elements of EYLF Principles: Respect for diversity and Practice: Responsive relationships(AGDE,2022).

Although this scenario did not directly link to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultures, I reflected on how Dreaming stories or yarning circles could be used in future sessions to model respect, patience, and connection to others and include their cultural stories.

I documented the interaction consulting with my supervising educator, preserving confidentiality while reflecting on developmental goals. This aligns with Regulation 74: documenting assessment and supports our commitment to inclusive and strength-based documentation(ACECQA, 2020).

To further extend this learning, I plan to introduce an “Emotions Corner” with feeling cards, mirrors, and calming sensory tools. This links to EYLF Outcome 3.1 – Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing, and encourages independent self-regulation, particularly for children with additional behavioural needs (AGDE,2022).