The Alert Program

What is the Alert Program?

The Alert Program is an evidence-based self-regulation and behavior management tool for children of all ages. This self-regulation tool helps children to identify their emotional/self-regulatory state, which helps them to become centered and to be able to maintain focus throughout their day.

The Alert Program uses language that children as young as three-years old can understand. The program describes our bodies as running like "car engines." For instance, sometimes you may feel "hyped-up," angry, and/or overly excited, like a car engine running on fast engine speed. Also, you may feel low, slow, and "lethargic," like a car engine running on a slow engine speed, and you may feel like your body is running just right because you feel alert, focused, and content.

Think about how you regulate your body.... Do you drink coffee when your engine is low? Do you participate in yoga or go on a run when your engine is high?

How to Implement the Alert Program:

The first step within the Alert Program is for children to understand the three engine levels (i.e. Low/Slow, Just Right, and Fast/High Engine Speeds).Then, the child should create their own engine speed speedometer, with examples that are meaningful to them to faciliate further understanding. For instance, a child may choose to label a snail as depicting low engine speed, a dog as just-right engine speed, and a cheetach as fast engine speed. After a child creates and labels their own engine speed, then you can begin using it daily to asssist them in recognizing their engine speed state. When you see a child running around, yelling, and displaying an unwillingness to be seated, then ask them, "What is your engine speed right now?" The child should be able to tell you, "I am feeling high engine speed right now." If the child is unable to communicate their engine speed state, then please probe them with questions to help them; for instance, ask them, "What was the cheetah on your engine speed speedometer? Are you a cheetah right now?"

The second step within the Alert Program is to teach the child methods/techniques to bring their bodies from the low/high engine speed states to the level of just right. You and the child should collaborate when discussing these techniques because every child is unique; therefore, some calming or alerting strategies that works for some children may not work for others.

Examples to get your body from the Low/Slow to Just Right Engine Speed State:

1. Deep Breathing

2. Run/Jog or go on a walk

3. Jumping Jacks

4. Eat a crunchy snack, such as chips or pretzels

5. Wall-push ups or regular push-ups

6. Listen to fast-paced music

7. Read a book

8. Paint or Draw

Examples to get your body from High/Fast to Just Right Engine Speed State:

1. Deep Breathing

2. Yoga Exercises

3. Run/jog or go on a walk

4. Wall push-ups

5. Fidget Manipulatives

6. Listen to slow-paced music

7. Jumping Jacks

8. Paint or Draw

It is helpful to create a poster, chart, or to write the techniques that you and your child create on slips of paper or popsicle sticks, so your child can refer to it when they need to get their bodies from low/high to the just right engine speed state.

The third step of the Alert Program is for your child to be able to identify what engine speed level they are in and to then choose an appropriate calming or alerting activity to assist their bodies to get to the just right engine speed state.