Play Nicely™ Second Edition | Now Available on CD
"To prevent violence, start early and include everyone"
Play Nicely™ is a video series developed by a pediatrician for parents of and for teachers and day care providers who are responsible for pre-school age children. The video series offers advice on how to deal with anti-social and violent behavior among pre-school children and the best methods for modifying such behavior.
In 40 minutes, Play Nicely teaches parents and others who care for children how to successfully manage early childhood aggression. All who care for children should have a basic understanding of how respond to childhood aggression because persistently hurtful behavior during the early years is one of the strongest risk factors for violence later in life. Play Nicely can be used alone or can be added to existing parenting classes, primary care clinic schedules, preschool curricula, and violence prevention programs.
The Play Nicely CD ROM teaches parents, health care professionals, counselors, and child care workers/teachers the basics in managing hurtful behavior for children ages 1-7. As part of the program, viewers see a video clip of one young child hitting another and are asked, "Assume you see your child hurt another - what should you do?" There are 16 options to respond and receive multimedia feedback in the form of narration and video clips. Participants learn that there are better responses than ignoring hurtful behavior, speaking angrily, or physical punishment.
What is the evidence that Play Nicely can help address childhood aggression?
Consider the points below. (NOTE: 'P' indicates published research; 'U' indicates unpublished research).
- Play Nicely increases comfort level of how to manage aggression in young children (P).
- Play Nicely increases knowledge of how to manage hurtful behavior in young children (P).
- Play Nicely increases pediatric residents' comfort level with counseling parents about childhood aggression (P).
- Play Nicely improves the counseling that pediatric residents provide to mothers with children with aggression (U).
- Play Nicely is rated as effective in teaching options to manage aggression (P).
- Play Nicely is rated as effective in teaching how to teach children how not to be victims (P).
- Play Nicely is rated as effective in teaching the importance of decreasing exposure to violence (P).
- Play Nicely is rated as effective in teaching the importance of consistency (P).
- Play Nicely is recommended to first-time mothers by 100% of parents in clinic (P).
- Play Nicely changes the way parents plan to respond to their children's hurtful behavior (P).
- Play Nicely helps parents manage aggression in their young children one year after receiving the program from their pediatrician (P).
- Play Nicely increases parents' willingness to discuss their children's behavior problems with their pediatrician (U).
- Play Nicely increases parents' willingness to discuss discipline options with their pediatrician (U).
- Play Nicely is consistently embraced by those of different backgrounds (P).
- Teachers report that Play Nicely would improve school readiness if parents viewed the program before their children started school (U).
- Parents' comfort level with managing aggression does not predict who benefits from the program (P).
- Play Nicely is beneficial whether viewed independently or in a group setting (P).
To learn more, please also visit our Research Page.
If you would like to download a copy of the Play Nicely hand-out or a printable one-page fact sheet, you are welcome to do so. If you are ready to purchase a copy of the Play Nicely 2nd Edition CD, please click here to begin our quick and easy online purchase process.
1-9 copies, $19.95 each
(plus $5.95 S&H per copy).
10 or more copies, $15.00 each.
Please visit the Purchase Play Nicely™ page for more ordering details. | 
