Traditionally, many adults have viewed conflicts between children as undesirable and have tried to prevent them or to intervene. Parents too can focus on helping their children develop such strategies. Issues include control of the physical or social environment, such as control of objects or physical space. Conflict strategies include physical and verbal tactics that can be both aggressive and nonaggressive. Nonaggressive physical strategies include taking a toy or entering a play space.
Verbal strategies range from simple opposition to complex reasoning and negotiation.
Researchers have explored the relationships among the issues, strategies, and outcomes of children's conflicts. Research also indicates that children's resolution strategies are related to the outcomes of their conflicts. Conciliatory behaviors are associated with peaceful outcomes and with continued interaction following the conflict. Physical domination often leads to ending the interaction. In free play settings, adults resolved conflicts more frequently than children, including at least 60 percent of conflicts that involved physical harm and social order.