Positive behaviour strategy for kids: change the environment

What is your child’s ‘behaviour environment’?

When it comes to children’s behaviour, the environment just means the things around your child.

Your child’s ‘behaviour environment’ includes:

the physical environment – for example, their location, their toys, books and playthings, dangerous things around them, other people and their behaviour, and noise, light and other sensations
the timing of activities – for example, the time of day, your family routine, and their daily activities
your choices about guiding your child’s behaviour – for example, your use of attention and role-modelling, and the way you ask or tell your child to do things.

The physical environment, the timing of activities and your behaviour guidance can all influence your child’s behaviour and even trigger challenging behaviour sometimes. For example, it’s natural for your child to:

want to play with the things around them
explore their surroundings
feel tired if it’s nap time
feel overwhelmed if there’s a lot of noise or activity
not want to share their favourite toys
not follow your instructions if they don’t understand them.

By making small, manageable changes to your child’s environment, you can make positive behaviour more likely and challenging behaviour less likely.

Many things influence children’s behaviour. It’s always a good idea to think about why your child is behaving in a particular way. When you understand the reasons for your child’s behaviour, you’re better able to choose an appropriate response.

How to change your child’s physical environment: tips

Here are ideas for changing the physical things in your child’s environment to encourage positive behaviour.

At home

Move precious, fragile or dangerous items out of sight and reach. This is important for safety. It also means your child can explore their environment, and you don’t need to worry about these items getting lost or broken.
Make a quiet, safe space for your child to use when they feel overwhelmed. This could just be a special cushion with some of your child’s favourite books nearby.
Turn tablets and TVs off and put phones away when your child needs to get ready for school in the morning, enjoy family mealtime, do chores, relax before bed and so on.

Out and about

Look for safe spaces when you and your child are outside – for example, a courtyard, play area or backyard. If your child can play and explore in a safe and stimulating outdoor environment, they’re more likely to behave in positive ways.
On car, train or bus journeys, change where you all sit, so it doesn’t get boring for your child. For example, one parent could sit between children. Or let one child sit next to a window for a while and then change.
For a family day out, look for places that have things that both you and your child will enjoy – for example, a playground for your child and a coffee cart for you.
Use music to change the environment on a car trip. You can play upbeat music if your child is bored or soothing music when you want them to settle.
Be ready with fun and engaging activities for your child. For example, you could play car karaoke or ‘I spy’, do counting activities or word searches, or take a bag of toys that your child doesn’t usually play with.

Toys and belongings

Install a child gate on the door of an older sibling’s room. This will give the older child time and space to play with toys, undisturbed by a younger sibling.
Put your child’s favourite toys in a place that they can reach. This way your child won’t be tempted to climb or get into unsafe places when they’re looking for their toys.
Help your child choose and put away toys they might not want to share with visiting children.

How to change the timing of things: tips

You can change your child’s environment by changing when things happen. Here are ideas:

Include quiet, calming activities in your child’s bedtime routine.
Take your child grocery shopping after an afternoon nap.
Get up earlier to reduce pressure and stress in the morning rush for school.
Start bath time earlier to avoid tantrums about getting out of the bath.
Plan frequent breaks on a long car drive.

How to change the way you guide your child’s behaviour: tips

You might be able to make positive behaviour more likely by making small adjustments to the way you guide your child’s behaviour or trying out simple behaviour strategies.

Here are easy adjustments and strategies you could try:

And if what you’re already doing to guide your child’s behaviour is working well, you could try just doing more of it!

You can use your own behaviour to guide your child. For example, if you notice your child sometimes forgets to say ‘please’, saying ‘please’ yourself can help your child remember. Children learn to behave in positive ways when they get consistent, encouraging guidance from you.