Nursery World - Early years expert Tamsin Grimmer on how to talk to children about war

Tamsin Grimmer: 'It is important to practise compassion and empathy'

The way we respond to our children will depend on our knowledge of the child, their family and whether they initiate a conversation or are incorporating war themes into their play. Consider the extent of their knowledge, their age and stage of development and how directly this war will impact them.

The following principles might help:

It would be easy for us in the UK to dismiss a child’s concerns by suggesting this is happening a long way away, however, we will also have children and families who are directly impacted; Russian or Ukrainian children and families, for example, or children whose families are in neighbouring countries or accepting refugees. It is important to practise compassion and empathy. Although likening the Russian army to bullies might be helpful in assisting young children to understand the invasion, remember that it is not the Russian people invading, therefore ensure any comments we make do not add to hate speech or discriminate. Our role is to love, be compassionate to everyone, and help our children feel safe and secure.

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