3.3y–5y10 minSocial playFamily timeQuiet time
Unfair Spot-and-Fix
A quick role-play and real-life routine where you and your child practise noticing unfair moments (“injustices”) and calmly addressing them with repair, boundaries, and fair solutions.
What you'll need
Essentials
- 2 small toys (soft toys, dolls, figures)
- 6–10 small items to share (blocks, crayons, snacks—anything safe)
- paper and a pen/pencil
Nice to have
- a simple 'fairness badge' you draw (circle on paper)
- a timer/phone (optional)
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
What it practices
- Beginning to be able to negotiate and solve problems without aggression, e.g. when someone has taken their toy.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Understands that own actions affect other people, for example, becomes upset or tries to comfort another child when they realise they have upset them.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Aware of the boundaries set, and of behavioural expectations in the setting.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Be alert to injustices and let children see that they are addressed and resolved.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)