3 Senses to support a child with regulation

What do you do when a child needs your support during a difficult time and all the traditional approaches don't work?  Have you ever considered the connections between our sensory systems and how behaviours communicate needs? 

Our sensory systems develop as a child learns and grows and is deeply done through play.  The different types of play, schemas and loose parts you bring into your environment helps a child develop not only their social, language, physical, emotional and cognitive skills but also their sensory systems. 

No other learning can happen unless a child is regulated.  Feels safe and comfortable in their bodies.

Understanding the deep connections to our sensory systems, a child's ability to regulate and how you can provide a learning environment conducive to their developing needs will help you to see behaviours with a new perspective.   

Often we talk about the need for a child to regulate and understand their emotions and behaviours.  For this to happen takes you remembering that often a child might not fully understand what and why they feel what they feel.  Never mind how to resolve it in more socially acceptable way.   

Carol Kranowitz, author of The Out of Sync Child, often talks about THE BIG 3.  Looking at our TACTILE, PROPRIOCEPTIVE AND VESTIBULAR senses during times a child is communicating a need for support is often the best place to start.

With all of the new rules to ensure easy sanitization and health measures of COVID 19 which has resulted in many materials being removed from early learning environments, it has got me concerned.  That children are not going to have the resources needed to self-regulate.  Resulting in new and possibly more behaviours occurring.  This is why I made the topic of our monthly live session on this. 

As many of you know this is a very personal passion of mine to educate others on sensory processing (which is why I created the online workshop!) and how it helped me understand our son and create an inclusive learning environment for all the children to thrive in.   After I learned about this and saw the positive effects on our son I began to see the connections and importance for all children.  The idea that our sensory systems develop just as the learning domains inspired me to incorporate this into all areas of my early learning program, so that I could nurture and support the development for all the children in a holistic way.

After you watch the video, leave a comment on the blog and share any insights, questions or comments!  

infographics

Use these infographics as a source to refer to in your program and share them with your families.  Simply right click the images to save them to your desktop, or hold your finger on the image and select save on your mobile device.  Or pin them on Pinterest!

links mentioned in video

Educator Library of books recommended - www.ronniespreschool.com/educator-resources
Supporting Sensory Needs - Online Workshop where I walk you through our 8 senses and what the behaviours might be communicating, I share our sensory journey and provide lots of ways to make accommodations in your environments to support the child.
www.ronniespreschool.com/workshops
Lives in the Balance - Find lots of great resources from Dr. Ross Greene to take new perspectives on behaviours and plans to help support the child.
www.livesinthebalance.org