Forest & FreewayTM

A Co-Regulation Model for Understanding Behaviour Differently

Helping educators respond to big emotions, behaviour, and
dysregulation with calm, curiosity, and connection.
Educators are supporting children with increasingly complex behaviours, emotional needs, trauma backgrounds, developmental vulnerability, sensory overwhelm, and difficulty moving through daily routines.

Hitting. Yelling. Running. Refusal. Shutdown. Crying. Throwing.

These behaviours can feel intense, personal, and exhausting — especially when they happen again and again.

But what if behaviour is not the problem?

What if a behaviour is a pathway and we can support the children to find a different pathway?

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About

Forest & FreewayTM

Forest & Freeway™ is a co-regulation model developed by Hourglass Time Education Founder, Michelle Walsh, to help educators and families understand what is happening underneath children’s behaviour. Rather than responding only to what we can see — hitting, yelling, running, refusal, shutdown or big emotions — the model helps adults consider the nervous system behind the behaviour and respond with curiosity, connection and calm. 

Michelle first began using the ideas behind this model with her own children many years ago. Since then, she has shared and refined the approach with early childhood services, educators, leaders and families, helping them build more practical, compassionate and consistent responses to children’s behaviour and support needs.

Forest & Freeway™ is simple, visual and memorable — giving teams and families shared language to understand behaviour, reduce escalation and support children back toward connection, regulation and learning.

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Why This Training Matters

When behaviour escalates, educators can unintentionally widen the Freeway.

This may happen when we become more directive, step in immediately, raise our voice, give too many words, rush the child, match their intensity, move straight to consequences, or work in environments that are overstimulating, rushed, unpredictable or lacking calm spaces.

Forest & Freeway™ gives teams practical language and strategies to pause, reflect and ask:

“Am I responding to the behaviour — or the nervous system behind it?”
That one question can change everything.

Child’s drawing of a smiling person with black hair, yellow body, and outstretched arms on a white background.
Two women sit at a table in conversation during an indoor event, with drinks and papers on the table and cartoon drawings surrounding the image.

Educators Will Learn How To:

Understand behaviour as a nervous system response

Recognise triggers and patterns across the day

Reduce accidental escalation

Use curiosity and connection to support regulation

Create calm

Use practical strategies such as movement, 

heavy work, water, grounding tools, quiet spaces 
and co-regulation

Reflect on the energy educators bring into the room

Support children without power struggles

Simple illustration of three flowers with yellow centres and petals in pink, dark grey, and orange, each on a thin black stem against a plain background.

The model reminds educators that we do not stop the Freeway through force. We slow it through curiosity, connection and small shifts.

What Makes Forest & Freeway Different?

This is not another behaviour management checklist.

It is a simple visual model & language framework that helps educators understand behaviour in a way that makes sense.

You are not a roadblock. You are a bridge.

The model is not about fixing children. It is about
understanding them, building better pathways, and
supporting children with patience, presence and curiosity.

Childlike drawing of a smiling person with blue hair, orange and yellow striped body, stick arms and legs, and a simple facial expression.
Two women stand and talk in front of a banner with QR codes and social media info about early childhood education, with illustrated flowers at the bottom.

Perfect For Services Wanting To:

Understand behaviour as a nervous system response

Strengthen co-regulation practice

Reduce reactive behaviour responses

Build educator confidence

Create calmer rooms and routines

Improve transitions and daily rhythm

Support children with trauma, developmental vulnerability or sensory overwhelm

Strengthen whole-team language around behaviour

Move away from punishment and toward connection

Three simple, cartoon-style flowers with yellow centres and pink, blue, and orange petals on thin grey stems.

Available As:

In-service team training

Preschool Boost funded delivery

Leadership team reflection session

Online or face-to-face professional development

Coaching and mentoring support to embed the model

Online Pre-recorded program coming SOON!

Parents Workshop

Childlike drawing of a smiling person with blue hair, orange and yellow striped body, stick arms and legs, and a simple facial expression.Child’s drawing of a person with black hair, pink face, and a long, multicoloured dress. The figure has simple arms, black eyes, and a small mouth.Child’s drawing of a smiling person with black hair, yellow body, and outstretched arms on a white background.Colourful crayon drawing of a smiling stick figure with blue hair, orange shirt, and pink trousers, waving one hand.
Three simple, cartoon-style flowers with yellow centres and pink, blue, and orange petals on thin grey stems.
Child-like drawing of a person with a blue head, yellow torso, pink legs, raised arm, and scribbled black lines for hair and facial features.
Ready to Help Your Team Respond Differently?

Book a short Discovery Call and we’ll help you decide whether your service needs a Mock Assessment, Compliance Audit or another support pathway.

Book Forest & Freeway™ TrainingGet a quote for Preschool Boost Funding
A co-regulation model by Hourglass Time Education.
Child’s drawing of a person with a round pink face, black eyes, pink lips, yellow hair, and a multicoloured background.
Child-like drawing of a person with a blue head, yellow torso, pink legs, raised arm, and scribbled black lines for hair and facial features.Child’s drawing of a person with a round pink face, black eyes, pink lips, yellow hair, and a multicoloured background.
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