Co-Regulation and Self-Regulation: Helping Kids Navigate Their Emotions

Understanding and managing emotions is a crucial life skill, and it starts with co-regulation and develops into self-regulation.

What is Co-Regulation?

Co-regulation is the process where caregivers help children manage their emotions by providing support, comfort, and modelling appropriate emotional responses. This is especially important for younger children who haven’t yet developed the ability to regulate their emotions independently.

What is Self-Regulation?

Self-regulation is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, behaviour, and attention. It involves skills like:

Recognizing and labelling emotions.
Managing impulsive behavior.
Focusing attention.
Coping with stress and frustration.

Tools and Toys to Assist with Regulation

Here are some tools and toys that can help children develop self-regulation skills:

Fidget tools: Spinners, cubes, stretchy bands, wacky tracks, marble toys, and simple dimples can help children focus and reduce anxiety.
Sensory toys: Weighted blankets, crash pads, swings, tunnels, lap pads, plush toys, waterbead toys, chew necklaces and sensory bottles provide deep pressure stimulation and tactile input, which can be calming.
Visual tracking tools: Liquid timers, glitter globes, and kaleidoscopes can help children calm down and refocus.
Calm Down Bottles: These are great for babies and young children.
Breathing activities: Pinwheels and bubbles can help children practice deep breathing.
Coloring and drawing: These activities can be calming and help children express their emotions.
Mindfulness exercises: Guided mindfulness activities and breathing exercises can help children develop self-awareness and emotional regulation skills.

The Importance of a Calming Down Box

A calming down box (or kit) is a collection of tools and activities that children can use to help themselves calm down when they are feeling overwhelmed. It provides a safe and accessible way for children to practice self-regulation skills.

What to include in a calming down box:

Books about feelings and calming down.
Feeling cards or pictures.
Relaxation prompt cards.
Small mirror to check facial expressions.
Stress balls.
Worry stone.
Pinwheel or bubbles.
Fidget toys.
Clay, play dough, or silly putty.
Stuffed animal.
Ribbons to stroke.
Molding sand.
Glitter wand or sensory bottle.
Objects to count or sort.
Markers/crayons and paper.
Music or recorded story.

Product Recommendations

Here are some product recommendations for regulation tools:

Fidget Toys: Simple Dimple, Wacky Tracks, Marble Toy.
Chew Necklaces: Pendant-shaped chewy necklace.
Sensory bottles: Baby Calm Down Bottle.
Weighted Toys: Weighted lap cushion.

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