Behaviour Intervention for Children

Every child communicates through their behaviour — it’s how they express needs, emotions, and frustrations before they have the words to explain them. Behaviour support helps uncover what a child is trying to tell us and teaches positive ways to express those needs.

At Building Blocks Psychology, behaviour interventions are gentle, practical, and tailored to each child and family. Here are some of the approaches often used:

Positive Reinforcement
Celebrating and rewarding positive behaviours helps children learn what’s expected. Simple praise, high-fives, or extra playtime can go a long way in encouraging good choices.

Visual Supports
Pictures, charts, and visual schedules help children understand routines and transitions. When expectations are clear, children feel more confident and calm.

Modelling and Practice
Children learn best by watching and doing. Demonstrating skills like sharing, taking turns, or using kind words — and then practicing together — helps those behaviours stick.

Emotion Coaching
Big feelings can be hard for little ones to manage. Teaching children to name and understand their emotions builds self-regulation and reduces meltdowns.

Understanding the “Why” Behind Behaviour
Every behaviour has a reason. By identifying what triggers certain actions — whether it’s seeking attention, avoiding a task, or needing sensory input — strategies can be created that meet those needs in positive ways.

Consistent Routines and Clear Expectations
Predictable routines help children feel safe and secure. When they know what’s coming next, they’re better able to manage their emotions and behaviour.

Parent Coaching and Collaboration
Parents are the most important part of a child’s support team. Working together ensures that strategies used in therapy can be easily carried over at home.

Play-Based Learning
Play is a child’s natural language. Through play, children learn communication, problem-solving, and emotional skills in a fun and engaging way.

Behaviour support is about connection, understanding, and growth — helping children build the skills they need to thrive at home, in school, and in their relationships.

Who can Benefit from Behaviour Support?

Every child has moments when big feelings or challenging behaviours show up — it’s a normal part of growing and learning. But sometimes, those challenges start to feel overwhelming for families. Behaviour support can help children (and parents!) find calm, connection, and confidence again.

Behaviour support may be helpful if your child:

• Has frequent tantrums or struggles to calm down
• Finds it hard to follow directions or handle changes in routine
• Shows frustration through hitting, yelling, or withdrawing
• Has trouble focusing, sitting still, or managing impulses
• Feels anxious, worried, or easily overwhelmed
• Needs extra support with social skills, sharing, or playing with others
• Is adjusting to big changes like starting school or welcoming a new sibling
• Has developmental differences such as autism or ADHD

Behaviour support helps children learn new ways to express themselves, manage emotions, and build positive habits — while giving parents practical tools to guide and support them at home.

It’s all about understanding what your child needs and helping them grow with patience, structure, and love.