Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 mins

Tune In: Watch the episode

30 mins

Find Out: Using your voice

20 mins

Take Action: Create your own green zone toolbox

Tune In: Watch the episode

Step 1.

Begin by watching the Bluey episode Double Babysitter.

Bluey - 'Double Babysitter' (https://clickv.ie/w/YP_w)

Double Babysitter synopsis: When both Uncle Rad and Frisky accidentally turn up to babysit Bluey and Bingo on the same night, they have to work together to make Bluey feel better around babysitter putdowns.

Step 2.

Ask your children to answer the following questions using 'I see...' or 'I saw...' statements

How did you see Uncle Rad and Frisky help as the double babysitters?
Did you see how Bingo was feeling when she thought about bedtime?
Do you think Bluey used courage to talk about her worry about going to sleep?

"I see, I think, I feel, and I wonder" questions positively engage children in reflecting on their learning. These questions, particularly those starting with "I see," prompt children to share their ideas, personalise their experiences, and make connections to the themes they encounter. These questions are excellent for initiating discussions, fostering a child's voice, and encouraging participation in group settings.

For more evidence-based advice on developing oral language in children, click here.

Find Out: Finding and using your voice

Preparation

Organise and collect different items that could be used to help children relax and identify with the zones

A large copy of the Zones of Emotional Regulation chart to show the children
Coloured material pieces: red, blue, green and yellow. Set these out on the floor if possible
Gentle music to play in breathing exercises
A balloon/paper bag to show breath.

Step 1. Turn and Talk

Invite the children into the learning space. Begin by talking to the children about what they saw in the Bluey episode. Use the whole group speaking and listening activity of a ‘Turn and Talk’ to encourage all children to participate in sharing their voices with others. In a Turn and Talk the children focus on and share their voice with a partner. This is then expanded to using their voice with the wider group.

After viewing the episode, ask the children to turn and talk to the person sitting next to them. Quickly help the children recognise who their partner sitting next to them will be (some will have two people sitting on either side so match them each to one person). Tell them that they are going to turn and talk to their partner about what they saw in the episode.

Turn and Talk is a fantastic way for children to share with each other. It is a very simple technique that has an inclusive approach and creates a quick tool for reflection and sharing of ideas. It also encourages children to begin using their voices to express their ideas to others. For more evidence-based advice on developing oral language in children click here.

Focus the turn and talk to include these questions:

What was Bluey worried about?
How did she share this worry with the babysitters?
How did they help her after she shared her worry?

As the children ‘turn and talk’ to each other, listen to their ideas and responses. Stop the ‘turn and talk’ by gently clapping and saying time to finish. Then summarise the ideas you heard: ‘I heard … say that …’.

Step 2.

Invite the children to talk about what they shared in their ‘Turn and Talk’. Choose children that you don't often hear from. This is a great way for them to begin to share. It is an important time when the children verbally share with the group; focus on giving the children positive reinforcement about what they shared. Identify one key item to let them know that you were really listening and what they had to say was important to the group.

Step 3. Finding my feelings: Emotional regulation

Show the children the Zones of Emotional Regulation chart. Talk about the chart with the children. Focus on the colours of the chart and its meaning. Take time to explain the feelings that are connected to different colours.

Ask the children to think of a time when they were feeling:

Calm and quiet (green)
Worried and fidget around like you can't sit still (yellow)
Tired and no energy (blue)
Grumpy and loud (red).

Listen to the children's response and thank them for sharing their voice with the group. These are important discussions that can be hard for children to share as they make connections to emotions they were feeling as they experienced them.

Remind the children that these thoughts and feelings grow and change throughout the day. Explain that the great thing is that we have control over how we feel, and with practice, we can change these emotions.

Attentive Listening
It is vital that, as educators, we create a safe space to share our voices. A space that is supportive, caring and kind. Attentive listening is an approach that encourages a simple way to create a supportive speaking and listening environment. Through attentive listening, we listen with our eyes, ears and heart. Using our eyes, we look at each other when we talk, we use our ears to carefully hear the words, and our heart takes in the information and connects to the information with kindness.

Most of us use a limited vocabulary to describe our feelings when answering the question “How are you?” But it’s important to equip kids with a diversified vocabulary for accurately labelling and describing their feelings so that they can acknowledge the impact emotions have on them throughout the day.

Displaying the zones of emotional regulation chart is helpful for kids to visualise their feelings. It provides a supporting tool for leading them to build their emotional vocabulary, shifting them away from rote responses like “good” to more nuanced responses like “curious”, “excited”, or “worried”.

When introducing a new feeling word, position it in the appropriate colour zone, pair it with already known feeling words, and provide children with a definition in language that’s at their level. For example:

• “Disappointed is a blue feeling, kind of like being sad, because something
did not happen the way you wanted it to.”
• Lead children to connect the physicality of emotions with the
“heart thoughts”.

Demonstrate body language and facial expression, then ask, “If I’m frowning and crossing my arms, how do you think I feel?”

Find out more about teaching emotional intelligence in early childhood here.

Step 4. The importance of breath in finding your voice

Explain to the children that when we speak sometimes our emotions can bubble up inside and get in the way of saying what we would like to say. Emotions like feeling embarrassed (like others may laugh at you), scared (of speaking out loud), or worried (that you might say the wrong thing). These are complex emotions for young children. Having some simple self-help tools is a powerful way to help them control these emotions and allow their voice to be heard.

If the children are feeling nervous when they are learning to find their voice and talk to a group, breathing activities can be very helpful. Focus the children and ask them to find a comfortable way to sit for breathing activities. Sitting crossed legged is great for your children with their hand on their knees.

Step 5.

Use these inquiring questions to ask the children:

I wonder where your breath comes from?
I wonder how it gets inside you?
What is your breath?
I wonder how your breath helps you?

Use the balloon to demonstrate the concept of air filling your lungs and being released. Slowly fill the balloon with air, actively breathing in through the nose and pushing air into the balloon with the mouth. This shows the children how to deep breathe for relaxation.

Step 6.

Lead the breathing activity with the children:

Now it is time to use our breath to help us focus on our worries, calm ourselves down or build up courage.
Take in air through the nose to fill the lungs.
Hold the breath gently for three seconds.
Let out the breath - make a snake sound or a loud ‘s’ sound.
Repeat this three times to give the children time to focus on their breath.

Remind the children that they can use this at any time to focus, build up the courage to speak or to help themselves change their mindset.

Using the breathing techniques helps to bring the children back into the green zone of emotional regulation.

Step 7. Green zone sensory box

Show the children the green zone sensory box. Let the children know that in this toolbox there are different sensory activities such as a stress ball, putty or playdough, fidget spinners, aromatherapy sprays, bean bags or squishy balls. The green zone box can be used in the moments when a child seeks to return their emotions to the green zone.

Take Action: Create your own green zone toolbox

Encourage children to create their own green zone toolbox (this could be something they also take home). Work with children to create and add in different things that help them become calm. Ideas might include a favourite toy to cuddle, stress balls or bean bag to squeeze, a fidget spinner or some playdough.

Finding Your Voice - Emotions and Breathing

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