by TherapyWorks OT Department | Mar 17, 2026 | Occupational Therapy
Big emotions are a normal part of childhood. But for some kids, calming down after frustration, disappointment, or changes in routine can be especially difficult. This is where emotional regulation and co-regulation come in.
What is Emotional Regulation?
Emotional regulation is a child’s ability to recognize feelings and manage their reactions. This includes skills like calming down, coping with frustration, handling transitions, and expressing emotions in an appropriate way.
It’s important to remember: emotional regulation is a skill that develops over time—it isn’t something children are simply “born knowing.” In fact, the portion of the brain that regulates emotion and impulse control are not even fully formed yet. It will take years for it to develop.
What is Co-Regulation?
Co-regulation is when a trusted adult helps a child calm their body and emotions through connection and support. Children often need an adult’s calm presence before they can return to a regulated state.
In simple terms: kids learn to regulate by first being regulated with someone else.
Co-Regulation Strategies Parents Can Try
Here are a few simple ways to support your child in tough moments:
- Stay calm and speak slowly
- Use short, supportive phrases like “I’m here” or “You’re safe”
- Validate feelings (“That was really frustrating”)
- Offer a sensory break (deep pressure, movement, fidgets, quiet space)
- Practice breathing together
How TherapyWorks Can Help
At TherapyWorks, we support children in developing emotional regulation skills through strategies that match their unique needs. This may include sensory-based tools, coping routines, and building confidence through structured practice. Often times this aligns with occupational therapy goals.
If your child struggles with frequent meltdowns, transitions, or managing big emotions, our team is here to help.
TherapyWorks OT Department
by TherapyWorks OT Department | Jul 19, 2018 | Occupational Therapy
Do you know how simple and incredibly cheap it can be to create your own fun around the house for your kid(s)? If you have kids that are sensory prone, these activities will be especially fun for them! Sensory issues are not all the same and vary from person to person. Below, we list and explain a few simple ways to have some sensory fun this summer, all on a budget. Neither of these take much time to set up and are all child friendly.
First, we start with “Water Sensory Play“. This is simple and extremely cheap, if you must be reminded. Start off with a plastic bin; fill it with water and add a few drops of blue food coloring (or whichever your child prefers/is a favorite color). Next, add boats to the mix for some splashing fun. Next, you can add some bubbles to make a boat bubble bath. This also makes for clean soapy fun. If that isn’t fun enough, here’s another simple addition. Get some ice cubes, put a couple drops of different coloring on them and let your child put them in the water one by one. This can be a fun lesson as you explain primary and secondary colors while the water changes colors (ex -adding a red cube to the blue water makes purple). Fun and learning at the same time!
Another fun, but a little more messy, sensory safe Summer project is “Ice Cube Coloring“. This method of fun is much easier. Take an empty ice-cube tray and fill it with water. About 30 minutes of freezing, or when still soft enough for penetration, add popsicle sticks in the middle and let them harden up. Once completely frozen, add different food coloring to a few different ones. Let them sit out for a few minutes to thaw. Once they are ready, allow your child to use the popsicle sticks as a grip. Give him/her some paper and let the colorful ice cube fun begin. Eventually the cubes will fall off, but the ice cubes may still be useable to color and have some messy fun with. After all, it’s food coloring. No stains, or hard chemicals to worry about.
Option 3: Edible sand & Rainbow! These 2 combined might be a favorite! They are both super easy to do and there is nothing to worry about if either are ingested. First, for the sand all you need is a blender and crackers. Or you can use something else that is easy to smash, like peanuts or cereal. Get out a bin, some toy trucks or cars and you have a sandbox with sand that is safe to eat! You can also add some milk or water if your child desires it to be more firm and clumpy. Now for the edible rainbow it requires a little more due diligence. For this, get some bread, food coloring, milk and a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor you can use Tupperware to shake and mix. Next, bake/toast the bread to make it a little crispy and then tear it up/blend it to make little pieces. Pause, add small amounts of food coloring and milk to the blender full of bread crumbs and mix again. Not too much or it’ll be overly soggy. Once done, with multiple colors, bake it in the oven to harden all the crumb colors. If you want, you can bag all the colors separately and let your kid make his own colorful rainbow. Wallah! That simple for quick and easy around the house fun.
Do you have any ideas we can share to our followers on social media?!
Check out these related posts:
Summertime Fun
Keep Learning with Summer OT Fun
by TherapyWorks OT Department | Aug 7, 2014 | Occupational Therapy
Many schools are starting in the following 1-2 weeks. Many children, especially children who are seen for Occupational Therapy, have difficulties with changes in routine, transitions, and sleep disturbances. Here are some strategies to start implementing NOW to reduce the risk of tantrums and improve the transition into school (especially for little ones who have never attended school before).
1) Begin using the school-year bed time and routine 2 weeks prior to school starting. According to the National Sleep Foundation, children under age 5 need 11-13 hours of sleep each night (not including naps) while children ages 6-12 require 10-11 hours of sleep.
-
- Reduce electronics (TV, iPad, video games) 2 hours prior to bedtime
- Removed all electronics from the bedroom
- Try using “black out” curtains since the sun is still up longer hours
- Eliminate caffeine, food dyes and sugar 2 hours prior to bedtime
- Be consistent and firm with bedtime routines
- Ask your therapist for more sensory-based bedtime strategies for calming/regulation skills.
2) Also begin the morning routine including wake up time, dressing, packing the lunch or backpack and eating breakfast. This will allow for the parent to recognize how much time is actually required to decrease rushing and additional stress.
-
- For children who cannot read, use a picture schedule of their routine. Be very clear with the order of pictures. For example, your child may need a routine for the sequence of dressing to keep posted on his closet (i.e: undies, pants, shirt, socks, shoes) and another routine for hygiene posted on the bathroom mirror (i.e.: brush teeth, wash face, comb hair, etc.). For more information on using picture schedules: www.do2learn.com/picturecards
- Older children (readers) can use a written schedule or checklist which is more complex. Older children can also start practicing using an alarm clock and time management to estimate how much time they need for each activity.
- Do not allow TV, video games, or play time until after all of the necessary activities have been completed. Many children get “stuck” in play immediately after waking up and then melt down when asked to get ready for school and leave the television/toys.
3) Many children benefit from the use of social stories to improve transitions and behaviors while reducing anxiety from the unknown. Social stories should be very specific with correct names, pictures/drawing, etc. They should be simple and easy to follow.
-
- Parent may write the story while answering child’s questions and worries
- Child may draw the pictures or embellish on the main themes
- Focus on the positive behaviors you are seeking.
- Be clear and concise.
- For example, a child with difficulties separating from his parent: “Jack will go to school next Monday. His teacher is Miss Amanda. Mommy will drop him off at the door and give him a hug. Jack will have his backpack and will walk into his classroom all by himself! It’s okay to feel “worried” but he will feel “happy” to see his friend Marcus. Jack will make good choices and use his listening ears. He will make new friends. Jack will see Mommy at 3:00 when school is over for the day.”
Amanda Masters, MS, OTR/L
Clinic Therapist – TherapyWorks
Check out these related posts:
by TherapyWorks OT Department | Jun 30, 2014 | Occupational Therapy
It’s Time for Summer Water Play!
It’s hot outside, and we can expect the temperatures to keep rising! With that, it’s still important for kids to get outside and play, and what better way than in the water?!
Water play is beneficial in a variety of ways, whether it be swimming in a pool, running through a sprinkler, or splashing in a water table. When children play in the water, they encounter a multi-sensory experience:
- Auditory – the sound of the water and others around
- Tactile – the feeling of the water surrounding or splashing it
- Oral/olfactory – the smell/taste of the water
- Vestibular/proprioceptive – the movement and pressure of the water around the child’s body
Water is great for the sensory experience, but it is also great for so much more, like muscle tone and strength. So, get your children out of the house and into the water. Let them experience all the water has to offer while burning off all of their excess energy!
Amber Torczon, MOT, OTR/L
Clinic Occupational Therapist
Check out these related posts:
by TherapyWorks OT Department | May 30, 2014 | General
Pretty much everyone admits they probably spend to much time at home in front of their TV. computer, tablet or phone. So here’s a summertime challenge! Increase your active participation in play and parenting by UNPLUGGING FROM YOUR ELECTRONICS! I’ve noticed too many parents constantly tuned into their own electronic devices (Candy Crush, anyone?) or using electronics as a babysitter for their children easily keeping them quiet and occupied…until you try to take it away, then it’s Meltdown City!
Did you know since 1998 the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended 2 hours (or LESS) of screen time per day for school aged children? Infants and toddlers (under age 2) should not be spending ANY time in front of screens (television, movies, video games, iPad, etc.)! Why? Young children do not have symbolism in order to understand the picture on the screen is a representation of a real person or object. They do not have the ability to learn from the language (tone of voice, inflection, etc), body language, and fast paced auditory and visual input that is glowing on the screen. In fact, there are concerns that television actually rewires the brain through over-stimulation! It is important to remember that many children may be much older than age 2 before symbolism is reached (especially children with Autism Spectrum Disorder). Despite these recommendations, very young children are constantly the focus of many marketing schemes (Baby Einstein, Leap Frog, VTech, etc). Please consider that toy manufacturers are looking to make a profit and are not experts at child development! Slap the word “learning” onto an electric screen and sales go up regardless of long term risks.
Research has not been able to keep up with our technology boom. Most of the research I found is only focused on the effects of television and movies. We do not even know the long term effects of using so many electronic screens at such young ages and so frequently throughout the day which is negatively impacting play and social interaction (both with peers and with parents). Even when only parents are absorbed into the digital world, or if the TV is on “in the background” there are negative effects.
My primary concern is the lack of reciprocal interaction, shared attention/engagement, and communication between parent and child. One study found that for every hour of television watched per day the child had a 10% higher risk of developing attention problems. Another study found that the parent used 770 LESS words to interact with their child while the TV was on. Risks of high electronic usage include: increased aggression, poor emotional regulation, decreased attention (higher risk of ADHD), delayed language development, obesity, reading difficulties, irritability/fussiness, decreased executive functioning (defined as self regulation and working memory), decreased creativity and “self talk”, and poor sleep.
Bottom line: Eliminate electronics if under age 2 (this includes preschool products such as LeapFrog); limit screens to 2 hours per day (or less) for school aged children; and remove the TV from the bedroom! GO PLAY TOGETHER!
Amanda Masters, MS, OTR/L
TherapyWorks Clinic Therapist
Resources:
American Academy of Pediatrics (aap.org)
“The Immediate Impact of Different Types of Television on Young Children’s Executive Functioning” by: Angeline S. Lillard and Jennifer Peterson (Pediatrics2011;128:644–649)
“Infant Self-Regulation and Early Childhood Media Exposure” by: Jenny S. Radesky, Michael Silverstein, Barry Zuckerman and Dimitri A. Christakis (Pediatrics2014;133:e1172–e1178)
“The effects of infant media usage: what do we know and what should we learn?” By: Dimitri A. Christakis (ActaPædiatrica2009;98,pp.8–16)
“It’s official: TV linked to attention deficit” by : Jean Lotus
