Regulation is for Everyone

Students, teachers and other caregivers can all benefit from Regulation, a trauma-informed intervention that helps manage behavior and emotions. When we prioritize emotional and behavioral regulation through sensory, mental and physical strategies, we set children up to be successful — inside the classroom and beyond.

One the easiest ways to self-regulate is Breathing. If you’re ever feeling panicked, anxious or out of control, remember that the one thing you can always control is your breath. You can find some simple examples of regulation through Controlled Breathing below.
Name of Activity: Controlled Breathing
Materials Needed: A calm and regulated caregiver

What to Do: Choose one of the following to direct children to control their breath. Demonstrate first, and then breathe with the child(ren) to promote co-regulation.

When to Use: Use when child is in a calm or recovery state to practice the use of breath for calming when big feelings occur. Use to signal transitions throughout the day or as a way to prepare for a quiet activity, nap or bedtime.

• Belly Breathing: Lay on the floor with a stuffed animal or another small toy on the child’s belly. Ask the child to breathe deeply enough to make the toy move up and down, but calmly enough so that it does not fall off.
• Snake Breath: Inhale slowly through the nose and breathe out through the mouth with a long, slow hissing sound.
• Bunny Breath: Take three quick sniffs through the nose and one long exhale through the nose, making the exhale slower and longer.
• Smell the Flower / Blow Out the Candle: Have the child pretend that he/she has a flower in one hand and a candle in the other. The first step is smelling the flower, taking a deep breath in through the nose and filling the lungs with air. Next, have the child exhale and blow out the candle in the other hand.

We have more than 50 regulation activities like the above (in both English and Spanish) that we’re excited to share with you through newsletters, social media and eventually full downloads and books! These activities span different age groups, can be done individually or in groups, and involve art, full body movements, breathing techniques, and more.

If you're not already subscribed to our monthly Compassionate Schools Newsletter, be sure to sign up today.  And, please feel free to share the link with a colleague who could benefit from these exercises!

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