27/08/2026
đź“š EARLY YEARS WORD OF THE WEEK
This week’s word is… CO-REGULATION 🧠💛
It might sound complicated, but it’s something Early Years practitioners do every single day!
Co-regulation is when an adult helps a child to understand and manage their emotions by offering calm, consistent and responsive support.
When a child is overwhelmed, they might not yet have the skills to simply “calm themselves down.” That’s where we come in.
💛 Staying calm when they’re struggling
🗣️ Helping them put feelings into words
🤝 Offering comfort and reassurance
⏳ Giving them time to process their emotions
🧠Modelling ways to cope with big feelings
Over time, these experiences help children develop the skills they need to regulate their own emotions.
So sometimes, instead of asking “How do we stop this behaviour?”, we might ask…
“What is this child trying to communicate, and what do they need from me right now?” đź’
Chances are, you’re already co-regulating every single day without even realising it!
