Understanding and Supporting Behaviour: A Proactive Approach at Niño Early Learning Adventures

At Niño Early Learning Adventures, we believe every child has the right to be seen, heard, and valued for who they are. Nurturing positive behaviours is an important part of this journey—and one we walk alongside families with empathy and care.

What do we mean by ‘challenging behaviour’?

Sometimes you might hear the term challenging behaviour. At Niño ELA, we don’t see this as something to be ‘fixed’, but as a form of communication—a window into how a child is experiencing their world.

A helpful definition comes from Powell, Dunlap & Fox (2006):

“Any repeated pattern of behaviour, or perception of behaviour, that interferes with or is at risk of interfering with optimal learning or engagement in prosocial interactions with peers and adults.”

In other words, it’s not just about the behaviour itself—but about understanding what’s beneath it.

Why do children behave in the way they do?

Children’s behaviour is shaped by a rich mix of influences, including emotional development, relationships, life experiences, and the environments they spend time in.

At Niño ELA, we take a holistic view, considering both lifestyle and centre-based factors:

Lifestyle factors may include:

• A child’s temperament and stage of development
• Family routines, transitions or changes
• Parenting styles, cultural expectations or limited social experiences

Centre-based factors may include:

• Relationships with educators and peers
• The level of stimulation, predictability and engagement
• Whether the environment offers choice, consistency and a sense of belonging
• How inclusive our programs are to each child’s voice, culture and identity

Our approach: Behaviour guidance with purpose

We take a proactive, strengths-based approach to behaviour guidance. This means we focus on:

• Building secure, trusting relationships
• Creating calm, inclusive spaces where children feel safe and confident
• Teaching lifelong skills such as empathy, communication and problem-solving

Rather than relying on consequences or control, we guide behaviour by helping children understand their emotions, express their needs and connect positively with others. Our guidance is always reflective, respectful, and developmentally appropriate.

Now we put this into practice at Niño ELA

Creating positive learning environments:

• Calm, welcoming and thoughtfully arranged spaces
• Schedules that offer flexibility and follow children’s natural rhythms
• Small group experiences built around interests and relationships
• Opportunities for uninterrupted play and meaningful exploration
• Clear, consistent expectations to reduce stress and support confidence
• Materials and resources that reflect children’s cultures, identities and ideas

Program strategies that support self-regulation:

• Child-led choices and authentic agency
• Creative art experiences that foster expression and reflection
• Books, music and games that nurture kindness and respect
• Minimised group times in favour of learning through play
• Everyday moments used to support emotional understanding and connection

Supporting emotional development with the Zones of Regulation®

To nurture emotional literacy and self-regulation, we embed The Zones of Regulation® into our learning environments. Developed by occupational therapist Leah Kuypers, this research-based framework helps children recognise how they’re feeling and choose helpful strategies to support themselves.

The four colour-coded zones represent different states of emotion and alertness:

• Blue Zone – feeling low energy emotions like sadness, tiredness or boredom
• Green Zone – calm, focused, happy and ready to learn or play
• Yellow Zone – heightened emotions like silliness, excitement, worry or frustration
• Red Zone – intense emotions such as anger, fear or being out of control

No zone is considered “bad”—every emotion is valid. The Zones simply provide a shared language for recognising feelings and learning how to respond in supportive ways.

At Niño ELA, we use visual tools, storytelling, movement, breathing exercises and collaborative conversations to help children:

• Identify and name their emotions

• Understand which zone they’re in

• Choose strategies to help them regulate

 

• Recognise emotions in others and show empathy

Through consistent practice, children begin to build strong foundations for emotional resilience, positive relationships and lifelong wellbeing.

A shared journey with families

We know behaviour guidance is most effective when educators and families work together. Every child’s behaviour is shaped by their unique context, and we value respectful, ongoing conversations with families as we support children’s emotional development.

If your child is navigating big feelings or tricky moments, we’re here to listen and support—not to judge. We encourage an empathetic lens: What might this child be trying to tell us? What’s happening beneath the surface?

By walking in their shoes, we can respond in ways that honour their experience—and guide them toward connection, confidence and wellbeing.

Let’s continue the conversation
If you’d like to learn more about our approach to behaviour guidance or have any questions about your child’s development, speak with your Niño ELA educator or contact your local Niño ELA centre today. We are always here to work alongside you and support your little one’s journey with care, understanding and respect.

 

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Sources:

• journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1096250614523969
• zonesofregulation.com/about/