How Co-Regulation Supports Early Childhood Growth

Importance of Co-Regulation

Experiences in early life set the stage for a child’s ability to notice and regulate emotions and behavior. During early childhood, children’s brains continue to develop rapidly, which is closely linked to their capacity for self-awareness and regulation. Infants and toddlers who receive predictable, consistent, and nurturing caregiving develop brain connections and memories that help them recognize their needs and how they are met. This fosters trust in their caregivers, as their experiences demonstrate that someone will help them meet their needs. As they become preschoolers, children begin to connect how they have been cared for with what they can do to meet their needs themselves. Conversely, those who experience unpredictable or inconsistent caregiving might recognize their needs but struggle to start meeting them independently. They might display behaviors to attract adult attention or attempt to meet their needs but fall short.

Role of Co-Regulation

Co-regulation is essential for all ages, especially during early childhood. It involves regulating alongside the child rather than expecting them to manage their needs and emotions independently. In co-regulation, adults help children notice overwhelming emotions, bodily sensations, and needs and then work together to manage these experiences. For example, an adult might say, “Oh, you are feeling really angry; maybe that is why your hands and legs feel like they need to move. Let’s walk down the hall so they can move.” Alternatively, an adult might kneel to the child’s level and help them pick up fallen blocks, taking intentional deep breaths for the child to observe.

Engaging Strategies for Self-Awareness and Regulation

Let’s explore some engaging strategies for self-awareness and regulation that you can share with preschoolers. The effectiveness of these strategies lies in their interactive engagement between a calm, caring adult and the child. Children need to see, hear, and feel the strategy in action. They must first witness the strategy, then learn and practice it repetitively to integrate it into their memory for future use.

• Rainbow Breathing
  Do you know the colors of the rainbow? If you do, tell me some of them. If you don’t, I can start for you. Each time we name a color, we will take a deep breath in and then a deep breath out. For example, if we start with red, we breathe in red (deep breath through the nose) and then breathe out red (exhale through the mouth). Repeat with all the colors.
• Be a Tree
  Let’s pretend we are trees. Stand up very straight, as if your body is the trunk of a tree. Feel your feet on the ground and imagine roots growing down from them. Now, stretch your arms out wide and then up high and out wide again. These are your tree branches. Wiggle your fingers, which are the leaves on the branches. For your face, blink your eyes, wiggle your nose, and smile. These can be apples or acorns on your tree. Feel your feet, legs, and body strong like a tree trunk and your arms stretching like branches. Wiggle your fingers, blink your eyes, wiggle your nose, and smile once more. Look at you, a calm, confident, and beautiful tree!

Benefits of Breathwork and Movement

Breathwork and movement are quick ways to regulate emotions. Both naturally calm the body’s nervous system, making them beneficial for children. If a child is tired or reluctant to participate, these techniques can also help with engagement.

Read more: 5 Reasons for Teachers to Co-Regulate Emotions.