Fostering Self-Regulation Skills in Toddlers: The Role of Occupational Therapy

By Christina Pasinato, OTR/L

As toddlers grow and develop, learning to manage their emotions and behaviors is crucial. It is normal for toddlers to have difficulty with managing their emotions and behaviors which is why it is so common to see more tantrum behaviors occur. Self-regulation—the ability to control one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors—plays a significant role in a child’s overall development. Occupational therapy can be a powerful tool in helping toddlers build these essential skills.

Understanding Self-Regulation in Toddlers

Self-regulation involves managing impulses, coping with stress, and adapting to new situations. For toddlers, this can mean learning to wait their turn, tolerating transitions, not getting what they want in that exact moment, handle frustration without tantrums, or adjust to changes in routine. While these skills are naturally developing, some children may need additional support to master them.

How Occupational Therapy Helps

1. Sensory Integration: Occupational therapists often work on sensory integration, helping toddlers process and respond to sensory inputs like touch, sound, and movement. By creating a sensory-friendly environment and introducing activities that target sensory needs, therapists can help toddlers become more aware of their bodies and feelings. In addition, various sensory tools can provide a calming force or sensation for some which can assist with difficult behaviors.
2. Emotion Regulation: Through structured play and activities, therapists teach toddlers how to identify and express their emotions appropriately. Techniques like using visual emotion charts or engaging in role-playing games can make emotional regulation more accessible. As toddlers develop their ability to identify emotions, we can then assist them with understanding how they can respond when they are feeling that emotion.
3. Behavioral Strategies: Therapists provide parents and caregivers with strategies to reinforce positive behaviors and manage challenging ones. This might include creating consistent routines, using positive reinforcement, and setting clear expectations.
4. Motor Skills Development: Developing fine and gross motor skills is often intertwined with self-regulation. Activities that enhance these skills, such as balancing exercises or play with textured materials, can also help toddlers improve their ability to focus and control their actions.
5. Parent Coaching: Therapists can provide support to parents/caregivers to better understand cues that their toddler might be exhibiting which could indicate their emotion without the toddler explicitly telling them what they are feeling. If we can better understand what the toddler is feeling through their actions, facial expression, or body language, we can then provide necessary support for co-regulation.

Supporting Your Toddler at Home

Parents and caregivers play a vital role in supporting their toddler’s self-regulation. Consistent routines, patience, and understanding are key. Implementing some of the strategies suggested by occupational therapists, like sensory play and emotion-based games, can create a nurturing environment that fosters growth and resilience. In addition, it is always important to know that challenging behaviors at times are a normal part of development and building self-regulation skills is a lifelong process.

Incorporating occupational therapy techniques into everyday activities can make a significant difference in helping toddlers build the self-regulation skills they need to thrive as they grow.