Age Appropriate Self-Regulation Skills and Strategies for Kids

As an OT, self-regulation is always a hot topic. We want our kids to be happy and it can be distressing for us when they are dysregulated. It isn’t fun for them either! Kids get overstimulated and frustrated just like we do, but they often struggle with how to manage all of the new emotions they are experiencing. I like to remind myself that sometimes I need patience and grace when I am dealing with frustrating things, so I want to make sure I am extending that same patience and grace to little humans who aren’t nearly as experienced in emotional regulation as I am as an adult. We want kids to know that it’s okay to feel frustrated (in fact it's very normal), we just need to help them find less disruptive ways to express their frustration and feel their emotions. 

Self-regulation in children develops gradually over time and progresses through several stages. As explained in the previous post, it’s important to transition from co-regulation (use of external supports) to self-regulation. It’s helpful to be aware of what typical regulation skills are at each age to make sure we aren’t expecting too much from our kiddos than what is age appropriate and to ensure that we are supporting age appropriate skill development.

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In the next post, I will explain how to create a calm down space/box to support your child’s regulation!