The Case for Regulation-Focused Media in Early Childhood Classrooms

Let's be honest: the idea of using screens in your toddler or preschool classroom probably makes you uncomfortable.

You've seen what happens when kids watch too much of the wrong content. You've dealt with the fallout: the glazed eyes, the meltdowns, the total inability to transition. You didn't become a teacher to prop children in front of a screen.

But what if media could actually help you do your job better?

Not as a replacement for your presence, your warmth, or your guidance; but as a strategic tool designed to support the exact skills your children are struggling to build: emotional regulation, smooth transitions, and the ability to calm their own bodies.

That's what regulation-first media is. And when it's done right, it doesn't compete with good teaching. It amplifies good teaching.

The SEL Micro-Skills Children Must Practice Every Single Day

Think about what you're actually asking a three-year-old to do on any given Tuesday:

• Notice they're frustrated without hitting

• Name what they're feeling in words

• Take a deep breath when overwhelmed

• Wait their turn without falling apart

• Ask for help instead of screaming

• Transition from one activity to another without a meltdown

These are massive developmental tasks. And they require hundreds—thousands—of practice opportunities.

The problem? Most children's media doesn't practice these skills. It distracts from them.

Regulation-first media does the opposite. It creates low-stakes, repeated opportunities for children to practice calming strategies in real time with your support.

Our founder, Sierra, speaks to a crowd of 200+ about the value of children's media that focuses on rest and regulation.

What "Co-Regulation by Design" Actually Means

Here's a key principle from child development research: children learn to self-regulate by first experiencing co-regulation with a trusted adult.

You already do this all day. You crouch down to a crying child's level, take slow breaths with them, name their feelings, and help them find a solution. That external regulation eventually becomes internal regulation.

Regulation-first media extends that principle into screen time. Instead of hypnotizing kids into passive watching, it creates moments where you and the content work together to help children practice calming down.

This might look like:

• A character on screen taking three deep breaths—and a teacher prompting, "let's breathe with them"

• A pause after a feeling is named—and space for children to share their own feelings

• A visual cue for "hands on belly" or "shoulders to ears"—with teachers modeling alongside

The screen isn't doing the regulation. You are. The content just gives you a research-backed framework to do it more effectively, especially during the moments when you're outnumbered (ratio out of whack), exhausted, or managing twelve different needs at once.

"There's a reason toddlers want to read the same book forty times in a row—predictability is regulating. It helps their brains feel safe."

Why Slow Pacing and Predictable Patterns Actually Work

Remember how fast-paced, overstimulating content decreases executive function? Slow, predictable content does the opposite.

When young children watch media with:

• Long camera holds instead of rapid cuts

• Calm, familiar music instead of high-energy soundtracks

• Repetitive sequences they can anticipate

• Realistic scenarios instead of fantastical chaos

...their nervous systems stay regulated. They don't get revved up. They don't crash afterward. They're actually primed for the transition you're about to ask them to make.

When it's done right, it isn't boring content. It's developmentally appropriate content. There's a reason toddlers want to read the same book forty times in a row—predictability is regulating. It helps their brains feel safe.

Why Teacher Co-Viewing Is Non-Negotiable | Media in Early Childhood Classrooms

Here's what the American Academy of Pediatrics has been saying for years: the quality and context of screen time matters more than the quantity.

Their recommendations for early childhood settings include:

• Short, intentional usage – not all-day background noise

• Co-viewing with adults – teachers present and engaged, not checked out

• Realistic, slow-paced, predictable content – not overstimulating entertainment

• Content designed to teach emotional and social skills – not just to entertain

This is why FSS includes teacher prompts built directly into the content. A video might show a character feeling nervous on the playground, then pause and ask: "Have you ever felt nervous? Let's tell a friend."

That's your cue to turn to the group and facilitate. You're not being replaced, you're being equipped.

We're not just on the screen, we're in the community. Subscribers to FSS get entered every month to receive free book readings and live performances from characters.

How This Reduces Chaos (and Burnout)

Let's get practical. You know that moment right after outdoor play when everyone is sweaty, overstimulated, and spiraling...and you need them to wash hands, line up, and somehow make it to lunch without three crying breakdowns?

That's a regulation hot spot. And it's exhausting.

A five-minute regulation-focused segment designed for that exact moment can:

• Bring the energy down with slow visuals and breathing cues

• Give children a predictable landing place instead of sensory chaos

• Offer you a moment to reset while still actively supporting the group

• Prime kids' nervous systems for the transition you're about to request

The result? Smoother transitions. Fewer meltdowns. Less time spent managing behaviors and more time actually teaching.

And here's the part nobody talks about: when children are less dysregulated, teachers burn out less. A calmer classroom isn't just better for kids. It's better for you.

"The truth is, we're not trying to be the next viral kids' show."

Our content intentionally features healthy inter-generational relationship dynamics

What Regulation-First Media Includes

Fruit Snack Streams was designed specifically for this purpose. Every segment is created with regulation and SEL skill-building in mind:

• Breathing visuals children can follow along with

• Feeling identification with simple, clear language

• Calming countdowns for transitions

• Teacher co-viewing prompts built into the content

• Printable extension activities for practicing skills offline

• Short segments designed for specific classroom hot spots

The truth is, we're not trying to be the next viral kids' show. FSS is a tool built by educators, grounded in research, and designed to make your hardest moments easier.

Real Classroom Impact

Teachers using regulation-first media report:

• Smoother arrival routines with less clinginess and tears

• Easier post-playground transitions with fewer conflicts

• Calmer pre-nap environments that help children settle faster

• More emotional vocabulary—children using words like "frustrated," "worried," and "calm"

• Reduced teacher stress during peak chaos times

One preschool director described it this way: "I was so skeptical. But after a week of using a three-minute breathing video before lunch, our lunch table conflicts dropped by half. The kids were arriving ready."

Another perk subscribers to Fruit Snack Streams get? SENSORY BOXES! Featuring characters from our exclusive, regulation-focused series.

This Isn't About More Screen Time, It's About Better Screen Time

If you're worried about screens in your classroom, that skepticism is valid. You've seen bad media make things worse.

But regulation-first media isn't about parking kids in front of a screen so you can take a break. It's about strategically using short, research-aligned content at the moments when your class needs regulation support most...and doing it with them, not instead of them.

The difference matters. And the research backs it. Media in early childhood classrooms just got a facelift.

Learn more about Fruit Snack Streams and get a free trial for your classroom.