Classrooms today are about more than maths, literacy and timetables. Children are navigating a world that asks a lot of them – socially, emotionally and academically – often all at once. Among the most important skills a child can learn in school today is not just how to read or calculate, but how to cope.

Emotional regulation is the ability to recognise, manage and express emotions in healthy ways, sits at the heart of this. When children can regulate their emotions, they’re better able to focus, take in new information, collaborate with others and bounce back from setbacks. It’s not a ‘nice to have’ – it’s a foundation for learning.

What is emotional regulation?

At its core, emotional regulation is about recognising how you feel, understanding why you feel that way, and choosing what to do next. It includes the ability to pause before reacting, to soothe yourself after a difficult moment, and to keep going even when something feels hard.

In children, emotional regulation can look like:

• Taking deep breaths when feeling overwhelmed or upset
  
• Naming emotions instead of lashing out
  
• Choosing a calming activity when they feel dysregulated
  
• Asking for help instead of withdrawing
  

These are not skills children automatically pick up. Like reading or writing, they need to be taught, modelled and practised regularly – especially in school, where so many key moments in a child’s development happen.

Why now?

Children today are growing up in a different landscape than even ten years ago. Increased screen time, overstimulation, disrupted routines, social pressures and global uncertainty all affect how children feel – and how equipped they are to manage those feelings.

In schools, we’re seeing a noticeable shift. Teachers and support staff are reporting more pupils struggling with anxiety, low mood, frustration, or emotional outbursts. Often, these difficulties are labelled as ‘behavioural’, but underneath the surface is a child who doesn’t yet have the tools to regulate.

This isn’t about blaming children or families, it’s about recognising the reality they’re facing. Emotional overwhelm is increasingly common, and without structured support, it can interfere with learning, friendships, and overall wellbeing.

Why it matters in the classroom

When a child struggles to regulate their emotions, it affects everything, from their ability to listen and engage in lessons to their interactions with peers. Learning becomes harder when you’re stuck in a stress response.

On the other hand, when emotional regulation is supported:

• Children feel safer and more in control
  
• Disruptions in the classroom reduce
  
• Confidence and participation increase
  
• Relationships between pupils – and between pupils and staff – improve
  

This isn’t just about ‘fixing’ behaviour. It’s about creating a classroom environment where every child feels emotionally safe and able to learn.

How Mind Marvels helps

We know emotional regulation doesn’t happen overnight, it’s built through small, repeated moments. That’s why we’ve made it the foundation of our sessions. At Mind Marvels, we work directly with pupils in engaging, age-appropriate sessions that help them:

• Recognise and name their emotions using accessible, child-friendly language
  
• Practice calming breathing techniques they can use during moments of overwhelm
  
• Learn simple mindfulness and visualisation tools to help reset their nervous systems
  
• Explore gentle movement to support regulation and reduce physical tension
  

The key is making it relevant and enjoyable. Children are more likely to use a tool they’ve had fun practising. By using stories, movement, and practical activities, we embed these habits in a way that sticks.

And we don’t work in isolation. We partner with schools to ensure strategies are followed up and reinforced in daily routines, whether that’s through quiet corners, emotional check-ins, or shared language around feelings.

Moving beyond ‘wellbeing initiatives’

Supporting emotional regulation isn’t something that should sit on the sidelines. It’s not an add-on, and it’s certainly not just for children with identified needs. Every child benefits from learning how to manage their emotions, and every teacher benefits from a classroom where emotional skills are prioritised.

Investing in emotional regulation isn’t about removing challenge, it’s about giving children the tools to face it. In a world that often feels uncertain and fast-paced, this support matters more than ever.

We don’t expect children to learn times tables without support, emotional regulation should be no different. It takes guidance, patience, and consistency. But when we get it right, we set children up not just for academic success, but for lifelong wellbeing.

For more information on Mind Marvels sessions, visit our website.