31 Fun Conflict Resolution Activities for Kids (Printable PDF): Worksheets, Games and Activities

Conflict resolution activities for kids: In this post, we will explore different strategies to help kids deal with conflict. We will also list fun and easy activities that you can add to your conflict resolution lessons or use at home with your kids. And, at the end of the post, you will be able to download some conflict-resolution worksheets.

We all go through conflict and arguments in our everyday life. Learning healthy ways to handle conflict is an invaluable social skill to develop in our kids 

Luckily, there are some really creative ways to help teach kids all about conflict resolution. 

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What is Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution is the process used to manage or settle our differences using different conflict resolution strategies.

Ideally, we will try to achieve positive outcomes that will satisfy or be beneficial for all parties sides.

Conflict resolution is similar to problem-solving. In conflicts though, we may see ourselves inundated with strong feelings (anger, frustration, sense of injustice). 

Managing those feelings will be an important first step before we attempt an effective problem-solving strategy.

Conflict Resolution Techniques

There are different classifications that map conflict resolution styles and techniques.

We will briefly review a couple of them because they are a good foundation for understanding conflict resolution’s intricacies.

We’ll start with one of the most popular ones:

The Five Conflict-Handling Modes

Thomas (1976) classifies interpersonal conflict-handling behavior in a model with two basic dimensions:

• Assertiveness (attempting to satisfy our own concerns)
• Cooperativeness (trying to satisfy other people’s concerns too)

This two-dimensional model results in five conflict-handling modes:

• Collaborating (assertive & cooperative)
• Competing (assertive & non-cooperative)
• Compromising (an intermediate level of both assertiveness and cooperativeness)
• Avoiding (unassertive & uncooperative)
• Accommodating (unassertive & cooperative)

In plain words:

• Collaborating: kids look for ways to solve the conflict that bring the best outcome for both parties (the famous win-win situation)
• Competing: we only care about our own goals and are not trying to accommodate the needs of others
• Compromising: we try to look for a solution that may not be our preferred one but is acceptable for all parties involved
• Avoiding: one of the parties may not be as invested in the problem, or prefers to avoid confrontation, and decides to withdraw from the argument
• Accommodating: a kid may choose to neglect their own preferences to satisfy the preferences of the other person

Related Reading: How to Teach Assertiveness to Kids

Other Conflict Resolution Strategies

If we take into consideration the parties involved in a conflict, we could also list the following strategies:

• Negotiation
• Mediation
• Arbitration
• Litigation (which obviously does not apply to our topic here)

What would these look like for our kids: We will focus on how this translates to conflict resolution for kids:

• Negotiation: kids brainstorm satisfactory solutions to their problems and reach a win-win solution.
  If they can’t find a good solution, they may need to look for a compromise
• Mediation: when kids can’t resolve the conflict on their own, they may need a neutral third party (teacher, parent, caregiver) that helps them come up with a solution rather than imposing it.
• Arbitration: we would arrive here when kids can’t agree, so the neutral third party will need to put the argument to rest deciding on the best solution after listening to both sides.

Why is Conflict Resolution Important for Kids

Children need essential skills like navigating difficult situations to get a peaceful solution.

Benefits to developing conflict resolution skills:

• develop communication skills
• strengthen friendships
• learn goal setting
• solve conflicts in a peaceful way

Conflict resolution requires the development of a number of social skills like:

• problem-solving
• managing negative feelings and big emotions
• collaboration
• flexible thinking
• compromising
• effective communication
• acceptance of diversity

It is when someone in a conflict situation takes the time to consider the emotions of everyone else involved. If kids are able to develop this skill through effective communication and strong emotional intelligence, it will help them solve problems in a more effective way throughout their life. 

There are many ways to help kids grow their ability to resolve conflict that can be fun and informative. Keep reading to learn some of the most popular conflict resolution activities…

Conflict Resolution Strategies for Kids

We’ve covered some well-known conflict resolution strategies, but the following tips are practical advice that will resonate better with kids and their everyday challenges.

Conflict resolution strategies for students / kids:

• Stay Calm – Take deep breaths and keep your cool before talking.
• Use “I” Statements—Express your feelings without blaming others (e.g., “I feel upset when…”).
• Listen Carefully – Let the other person share their side without interrupting.
• Find Common Ground – Look for what both sides agree on.
• Brainstorm Solutions – Come up with ideas that work for both sides.
• Take Turns – If sharing is the issue, take turns fairly.
• Ask for Help – If the conflict is too big, ask an adult to help solve it.

Healthy Ways to Deal with Conflict

There are healthy and unhealthy ways to deal with conflict.

These are some examples of unhealthy ways kids can use to deal with conflict:

• Not caring about the other person’s view
• Holding a grudge
• Big emotional reactions like getting very angry, shouting, calling names, threatening
• Not being able to compromise
• Giving up on something that is important to you

Examples of healthy ways to approach conflict may include:

• Caring about the other person’s view
• Using your calm and assertive voice to express your feelings
• Not taking things too personally
• Learning to forgive
• Being able to compromise
• Working to find solutions that can accommodate both sides (negotiation)

31 Conflict Resolution Activities for Kids & Teens

Wondering how to teach conflict resolution to kids?

Discuss conflict at home or school. Choose topics from the news, a conflict at work, something that happened at school, or even made-up conflict scenarios.

Beyond having conversations, there are some great activities that kids can do individually or as a group to help foster this vital skill. 

Here are 31 of the best conflict resolution activities for kids and teens that can help build the valuable lifelong skill of resolving conflict peacefully.

The activities below fall under the following categories:

• Conflict Resolution Worksheets
• Conflict Resolution Activities
• Conflict Resolution Games 

Some of these activities will be a great addition to a lesson plan. 

Conflict Resolution Worksheets

1. Social Problem Solving Worksheet

Conflict resolution is, in essence, a social problem-solving situation. 

In this worksheet, we will follow the steps for problem-solving, with an important addition (calm-down):

• Calm down so that you can deal with the conflict
• What is the problem/conflict
• Listen to the other side
• Think about possible solutions
• Check pros and cons 
• Decide what solution works best for all (win-win if possible)

You can download this conflict resolution worksheet at the end of the post.

2. Conflict Resolution Worksheet (Conflict-Handling Modes)

This conflict resolution worksheet will work on the different conflict-handling modes:

• collaboration
• competition
• compromising
• avoiding
• accommodating.

Identify a conflict scenario, and ask your students to write examples for each conflict resolution strategy.

Your downloadable worksheet includes an example of a conflict scenario (Tim & Ellis want the same book) and a blank worksheet (for your own examples).

If you’d like to explore conflict resolution for kids further, I recommend our Conflict Resolution Workbook for Kids.

3. Big Problems vs. Little Problems Worksheet

In this activity, we will try to connect the size of our problem, with different ways of dealing with conflict.

Conflict resolution strategies include negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.

Depending on the type of conflict kids are dealing with, they may be able to deal with that conflict on their own (little problem), or they may need to involve an adult in the situation (mediation/arbitration for big problems)

Fun Conflict Resolution Activities for the Classroom / Groups

4. Conflict Resolution Role Play

On a popsicle stick, write out common conflicts that children face. Once you have around 20, have two students stand in front of the class and act out the situation that the popsicle stick says. 

Once they act it out, have the class discuss different solutions to how the problem could be solved either as a group or in small groups.

Variation: if the different scenarios you are choosing are a bit complicated for the popsicle stick, you can write them down on pieces of paper and put them in a jar or a box.

5. Conflict Resolution Role Play – Teen Activity

For a more teen-appropriate twist, let them write their own scenarios based on real-life conflicts they might encounter. This not only makes the activity relevant but also empowers them to think critically about conflict resolution. They can present these scenarios in small groups or through role-play, discussing possible solutions afterward.

6. Switch Sides Role-Play

This conflict resolution activity is also a great perspective-taking game. In this activity, two students act out a conflict, but at a certain point, they must switch roles and argue from the other person’s perspective. This helps them understand different viewpoints and fosters empathy.

Example: Two students act out a scenario where one wants to play soccer, but the other prefers basketball. Midway through the role-play, they switch sides and now argue for the other person’s choice

7. Puppet Show

Use puppets or stuffed animals to act out conflict scenarios and model resolution strategies. For example, demonstrate a puppet interrupting or disagreeing rudely with another puppet, then discuss how it made the other puppet feel. Encourage kids to suggest alternative ways the puppets can handle the situation, such as listening, taking turns, or finding a compromise.

8. Spin the Solution Wheel

This is also a fun variation of a role-play conflict resolution activity. Create a wheel with different resolution strategies (e.g., compromise, take turns, use “I” statements, ask for help). When a conflict scenario is acted out, a student spins the wheel to determine which strategy they must use to resolve the situation. This adds an element of surprise and encourages kids to think on their feet while practicing different ways to handle conflicts.

9. Write it Out

Using the popsicle sticks from the last activity, have the students all draw a different scenario and then write how they think the conflict should be resolved. 

In small groups of three or four, have the students share what their popsicle sticks had written on them, and how they would solve the problem. 

10. Negotiation Scenario Activity

This is a great conflict resolution activity to help kids understand that there are always different points of view.

Create a conflict scenario where neither of the two parties has all the information about the other party. If both parties negotiate, they can reach a solution that will be good for both of them, but they need to listen to each other to be able to come up with the solution.

An example:

• (Part 1) Two students need the same book for a school essay (for example, “How dinosaurs became extinct”)
  They only have one day to write their piece, there is only one copy in the school library and neither of them wants to give it up.
  Let the students discuss how to deal with this conflict
• (Part 2) Provide each student with some additional information:
  Student A (Annie) would prefer to write about inspiring women role models, but she couldn’t find anything on that topic.
  Student B (Amanda) loves dinosaurs and is really keen on writing on this topic. On her birthday, she was gifted the Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls book. That could be an excellent choice to inspire Annie’s essay. 
  Ask the students to go back to the negotiations, and suggest they explore why the other party wishes to write about the chosen topic. Are the solutions different this time

11. Create a Short Story

Ask your students to develop a story that recreates a conflict and how it gets solved.

12. Exploring Feelings

Read aloud to your students a scenario that could bring out different emotions.

It could be something as simple as:

• Scenario 1: parent is late for school pick up, and they are going to miss the football match
• Scenario 2: a classmate declines your invitation for a playdate.  

Have everyone write down how that would make them feel on a 5×8 notecard, then hold it up.

Ask them to share what they have written and learn how the same scenario can bring different feelings in each person:

• a kid may assume their parents got stuck in traffic, while some other may feel they don’t care if they miss sports 
• a student may assume that their friend is very busy, while another may feel their friend doesn’t care and may look for other friendships

Our feelings play an important role in how we deal with a situation.

13. Listening Activity

An important part of conflict resolution is listening to the other side.

Following up on the previous activity, let’s now add new pieces of information

• Scenario 1: there was a big traffic jam, and the parent’s phone was out of battery
• Scenario 2: your friend has swimming lessons on the day you suggested (and since you proposed the same day each time, they kept declining) 

After listening to the other side, how would you approach this argument/conflict?

Related Reading: Listening Games and Activities for Kids

14. Conflict Resolution Writing Prompt

Have your students write out the sentence “I would get into a fight with someone if they tried to take away_________.”

Then have them write down why that item is so important to them that they would want to get into a fight. 

The idea behind this is that they realize that most conflicts aren’t worth it. 

15. Healthy vs. Unhealthy Conflict Resolution

Have your kids write down ways to solve a conflict scenario. They don’t need to be the best solutions. , we are just brainstorming anything that crosses their minds.

Once they have come up with all these solutions, ask them to classify them as healthy vs. unhealthy. 

Tip: Go back to our “healthy ways to deal with conflict” section for some inspiration or examples

16. Conflict Resolution Books for Kids

Workbooks offer structured guidance and practical activities that help children understand and effectively manage conflicts. Here are two suggestions you might find helpful:

1. Conflict-Resolution Workbook for Kids

This printable conflict-resolution workbook for elementary students is an excellent resource. It presents worksheets and activities designed to help children learn how to navigate their everyday life conflicts:

• Understanding conflict and types of everyday conflicts for kids
• Conflict resolution strategies
• Dealing with emotions in conflict resolution
• Understanding my needs and speaking up
• Listening to everybody involved
• Finding fair solutions
• Steps to conflict resolution
• The resolution rockstar
• Conflict resolution scenarios

If you are working with young people, there is also a Teen Conflict-Resolution Workbook available.

2. Speak Up and Get Along is a chapter book for kids age 8 to 12. 

This social skills book shares twenty-one strategies children can use to end arguments and fights, make friends and stop bullying. It provides age-appropriate examples and lines they can practice and role-play. 

We can’t deal with a conflict if we are feeling overwhelmed with intense feelings. The next suggestions focus on calming down so that we are ready to deal with conflict appropriately

17. Learning to Deal with your Anger

There are many anger management activities that can help kids deal with their emotions. 

Check out the Cool Kid Journal (Anger activities for kids) to explore healthy ways of dealing with anger (it includes 70 gorgeous calm down cards).

18. Practice Taking Deep Breaths

A simple activity for kids of all ages is to practice taking deep breaths when they are upset.

This will help them calm down so that you can discuss a way to deal with the problem. 

Recommended Reading: Fun Breathing Exercises for Kids

19. Friendship Activities

If a child in your life seems to be having a hard time staying out of conflict, it might be time to discuss what having a good friend should look like. 

While conflict is a part of life, it doesn’t need to be a daily occurrence throughout elementary school and middle school. Instead, encourage your child to work towards healthy friendships.

Recommended reading: Friendship Activities for Kids (includes a worksheet that explores unhealthy bad signs in a friendship /warning signs /healthy/good signs)

20. Conflict Resolution Journal

Have your kids sit down and journal a personal conflict. Then, have them list out different ways that they can resolve that conflict.

21. Biography Exploration

Kids research and discuss historical figures known for their conflict-resolution skills. Through this activity, they learn about real-life examples of handling conflicts.

22. What If Scenarios

What If Scenarios is a critical thinking activity where kids explore hypothetical conflicts and brainstorm possible solutions. This helps them think through different perspectives and consequences before choosing a resolution.

• Example 1: What if two friends want the same seat on the bus? Kids discuss fair ways to decide, like taking turns or finding a different seat.
• Example 2: What if a classmate takes your pencil without asking? Kids explore solutions like calmly asking for it back or suggesting they borrow one next time.

23. Classroom Agreements

Divide students into small groups and have them create guidelines for handling disagreements constructively, including a set of rules and conflict resolution strategies.

Example: Students brainstorm ideas like using “I” statements when upset, taking turns speaking, or seeking a compromise when conflicts arise. Writing these agreements on a poster and displaying them in the classroom helps reinforce their importance throughout the year.

24. Model in your own life

Whether you share a story of a time when you needed to resolve conflict or show it in a real-life scenario, adults are the best teachers in explaining conflict resolution.

Conflict Resolution Games for Kids

A great way to learn new skills is playing.

Let’s take a look at some conflict resolution games:

25. Conflict Freeze

In this role-playing game, kids act out a conflict, but when the teacher yells “Freeze!” everyone must stop mid-scene. Another student then tags in and continues the scenario, trying a different way to resolve the conflict. This doesn’t mean the original student did anything wrong—the switch simply allows multiple kids to explore different solutions and see how conflicts can be handled in various ways.

26. Conflict Bingo

Create bingo cards with different conflict scenarios or resolution strategies in each square. When a scenario or strategy is called out, students who have experienced that scenario raise their hand. Select a few students to share their experiences and discuss how they handled or could handle these conflicts. 

27. The Conflict Charades Game

In this game, instead of guessing the title of a book or a movie, players act out emotions and conflict situations while their peers guess what is being portrayed. This helps students recognize and name emotions associated with conflicts, an essential skill in conflict resolution.

28. Hot Seat Negotiation

One student sits in the ‘hot seat’ and selects a conflict scenario from a predefined list. The rest of the class then asks questions and offers advice on how the conflict could be resolved. This game encourages collective problem-solving and perspective-taking, ensuring privacy as the conflicts are picked from a list rather than personal experiences.

29. 6 Conflict & Resolution Games
This game is not just one game, but several great conflict resolution games.

Let’s check a couple of examples

• Spinning the wheel game presents social scenarios, and you need to provide possible solutions. After you spin the wheel, you need to come up with a solution in one of the following categories: me, other, or all (depending on who benefits from the solution). 
  This game explores competition and compromising
• “Are you a bully” is a game inspired by the Snake & Ladders setup that presents bullying/mean situations vs. kind social responses

-> Check out this game

30. Social Skills Group Activity

In this game, players need to discuss socially challenging situations. They include boards on six different topics: morals, manners, empathy, friendship, and two boards on emotions (showing and managing them).

The manners game is actually a conflict resolutions game, and the players have to answer questions like:

• you see a friend stealing something from a shop
• you see a friend cheating during a test
• you are served a meal you don’t like at a friend’s house

These types of questions present a perfect opportunity to brainstorm solutions to a conflict and to discuss the size of the problem and whether it is big enough to engage the help of an adult.

-> Check out this game

And let’s finish our list with a fun video.

31. How to Explain Conflict to Kids (Video)

In this Sesame Street video, our beloved Robin Williams teaches kids the meaning of conflict.

 

 

Don’t forget to check out the Conflict Resolution Workbook for kids!

Other Social Skills Resources

These are some helpful resources to help kids build social skills:

• Conflict Resolution Workbook for Kids
• 25 Problem-Solving Activities for Kids
• I-Statement Worksheets
• Self-Introduction for Kids (Worksheets)
• Social Skills Activities for Kids
• Conversation Starters for Kids
• Listening Games and Activities
• Apology Worksheets and Activities
• Friendship Activities for Kids
• Turn-Taking Activities for Kids
• Fun Emotional Intelligence Activities for Kids

Conflict Resolution Activities (Worksheets / PDF Download)

Don’t forget to download your conflict resolution worksheets for kids!⇓