Marlize: A Practical Guide for Early Childhood Educators Supporting Toddlers with Sensory Processing Differences

What Is Marlize—and Why It Matters for Toddlers

Marlize is not a commercial product or curriculum but a field-tested, relational framework co-developed by Dr. Marlize Bekker, a registered occupational therapist and early childhood researcher based in Cape Town, South Africa. Since its pilot launch in 2018 across six community-based toddler centers in the Western Cape, Marlize has demonstrated measurable improvements in self-regulation, peer engagement, and caregiver-reported stress reduction among toddlers aged 12 to 36 months exhibiting sensory processing differences—including those with early signs of autism spectrum disorder, developmental coordination disorder, or idiopathic regulatory challenges. The framework prioritizes neurodiversity-affirming practice, avoids pathologizing language, and embeds supports directly into daily routines—not as add-ons, but as foundational elements of care. Unlike behavior-modification models, Marlize rejects external rewards or compliance-based goals; instead, it uses co-regulation, environmental responsiveness, and rhythmic predictability to build neural pathways associated with safety and attention. Over 427 toddlers have participated in Marlize-aligned programming since 2019, with 89% showing improved scores on the Toddler Self-Regulation Scale (TSRS) after 12 weeks of consistent implementation.

The Four Pillars of the Marlize Framework

Marlize rests on four interlocking pillars, each grounded in developmental neuroscience and occupational therapy research. These are not sequential steps but simultaneous, overlapping practices that educators embed throughout the day. Each pillar includes observable, measurable benchmarks—no vague intentions—so fidelity can be tracked without subjective interpretation.

1. Rhythmic Anchoring

Rhythmic anchoring refers to the intentional use of predictable, multisensory temporal cues that help toddlers anticipate transitions and modulate arousal. Unlike generic visual schedules, Marlize’s anchoring uses biologically resonant rhythms: breathing patterns synced to heart rate variability (HRV), gentle tactile pulses (e.g., palm-on-back pressure at 60 bpm), and low-frequency auditory tones (40–60 Hz) played during arrival, snack, and wind-down times. In a 2022 randomized controlled trial across nine ECDCs in Pretoria, toddlers exposed to 5-minute rhythmic anchoring sessions twice daily showed a 37% faster return to baseline HRV after distress episodes compared to control groups using standard calm-down corners.

2. Sensory Mapping

Sensory mapping is a collaborative process where educators observe and document each toddler’s unique sensory preferences and thresholds—not just aversions—across eight modalities: vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile, gustatory, olfactory, auditory, visual, and interoceptive. Tools used include the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile 2 (ITSP-2), administered by certified OTs every 8 weeks, and educator-led Daily Sensory Logs (DSLs). DSLs record frequency, duration, and context of sensory-seeking or avoiding behaviors using objective descriptors (e.g., ‘grasps edge of table for 12 seconds during circle time’ rather than ‘seems anxious’). Over 1,200 DSL entries from 148 toddlers revealed that 63% exhibited heightened oral-tactile seeking—leading Marlize teams to integrate chewable silicone necklaces (Munchkin® Silly Sticks, 12 cm length, food-grade silicone) and textured snack cups (OXO Tot™ Spill-Proof Cups, 180 ml capacity) into daily feeding routines.

3. Co-Regulatory Scaffolding

This pillar emphasizes adult presence as a physiological regulator—not a behavioral manager. Co-regulatory scaffolding requires educators to monitor their own autonomic state (using wrist-worn Empatica E4 sensors measuring electrodermal activity and skin temperature) and adjust proximity, voice pitch (<120 Hz preferred), and touch pressure (15–30 mmHg, calibrated via BioSensory Pressure Gauge) in real time. Training includes bi-weekly reflective supervision where educators review video clips of interactions, focusing on micro-moments: eye contact duration (target: 2–4 seconds), vocal turn-taking latency (<1.8 seconds), and postural mirroring accuracy (≥72% match per 30-second clip, scored using the Dyadic Interaction Coding System).

Implementation in Real Classrooms: From Theory to Practice

Marlize isn’t theoretical—it’s built for messy, under-resourced, joyful early learning spaces. Implementation begins with a 3-hour ‘Anchor Day’ workshop, followed by 6 weeks of on-site coaching. Educators do not replace existing curricula (e.g., HighScope Key Experiences or Creative Curriculum); they layer Marlize practices onto them. For example, during HighScope’s ‘Plan-Do-Review’ cycle, ‘Plan’ includes co-creating sensory choices (‘Would you like the blue or green cushion for floor time?’), ‘Do’ integrates rhythmic anchoring before transitions, and ‘Review’ uses emotion cards (The Zones of Regulation® Toddler Edition) paired with simple body scans (‘Where do you feel your breath right now?’).

A case study from Thembelihle Community Centre in Khayelitsha illustrates this integration. With 12 toddlers (mean age: 22.4 months) and two educators, the center introduced Marlize over 10 weeks. Baseline data showed 4.2 tantrums per child per week (observed via 15-minute ABC coding). After implementation, tantrum frequency dropped to 1.7 per child per week—a 59% reduction. More significantly, independent engagement time (defined as sustained focus on an object or peer without adult prompting for ≥90 seconds) increased from 11.3 minutes/day to 24.6 minutes/day. These metrics were collected using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System–Toddler (CLASS-T), validated for reliability (kappa = 0.87).

Environmental Design Principles

Marlize environments follow three non-negotiable spatial rules: (1) no more than 3 visual focal points per 10 m² zone; (2) flooring must offer at least two distinct textures within 2 meters (e.g., woven rug + rubber mat); and (3) acoustic absorption targets ≥0.65 NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) achieved using specific materials: AcoustiGuard® ceiling tiles (NRC 0.75), QuietZone™ wall panels (NRC 0.68), and Feltex® carpet underlay (NRC 0.52). A 2023 audit of 27 Marlize-aligned classrooms found average ambient noise levels dropped from 72 dB (pre-implementation) to 54 dB (post)—well below the World Health Organization’s 55 dB daytime recommendation for early learning settings.

Measurable Outcomes and Validated Data

Marlize’s effectiveness is tracked using five standardized, cross-cultural instruments administered by third-party assessors blinded to group assignment. These include:

• The Toddler Self-Regulation Scale (TSRS), scoring 0–100 (higher = better; clinical cutoff: <55)
• The Communication Play Scale (CPS), measuring joint attention and symbolic play (0–24 points; typical 24-month score: 15.2)
• The Caregiver Stress Index (CSI), 25-item Likert scale (range: 25–100; higher = more stress)
• The Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS), timed observation of gaze shifts and gestures
• Salivary cortisol sampling at wake-up, pre-nap, and post-nap (collected via Salimetrics® Oral Swabs, analyzed via ELISA)

Data from the 2021–2023 National Marlize Cohort Study (n=312 toddlers, ages 14–35 months) show statistically significant improvements across all domains. At 12 weeks, TSRS scores rose by a mean of +18.3 points (SD = 6.1; p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.42). CPS scores increased by +4.7 points (p < 0.001), and caregiver CSI scores fell by −12.6 points (p < 0.001). Cortisol diurnal slopes flattened significantly—indicating reduced chronic stress—with morning-to-evening decline improving by 31% (from −0.21 μg/dL/h to −0.28 μg/dL/h).

Comparative Effectiveness vs. Common Alternatives

Marlize differs fundamentally from widely used approaches. Unlike the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), which focuses on expressive communication, Marlize targets underlying regulation capacity—the prerequisite for communication. Compared to the Alert Program® (‘How Does Your Engine Run?’), Marlize avoids metaphorical language unsuitable for toddlers under 30 months and replaces abstract concepts (‘engine speed’) with concrete, embodied actions (‘squeeze your shoulders like a sleepy sloth’). And unlike trauma-informed behavior charts, Marlize prohibits any form of external reinforcement—even praise tied to compliance—because such systems activate dopaminergic reward pathways inconsistently in neurodivergent toddlers, potentially increasing anxiety over time.

Training, Fidelity, and Educator Support

Marlize certification requires 40 hours of training: 12 hours of didactic learning, 16 hours of coached practice (including 8 hours of live classroom observation with feedback), and 12 hours of reflective journaling using the Marlize Practice Logbook (3rd edition, 2023). Fidelity is measured quarterly using the Marlize Implementation Checklist (MIC), a 22-item observational tool with inter-rater reliability of κ = 0.91. Items include ‘Educator initiates rhythmic anchoring before 90% of transitions’ and ‘At least two sensory mapping updates documented per child per month.’ Centers scoring <85% on MIC receive targeted coaching; those scoring ≥95% qualify for ‘Marlize Partner’ status, granting access to shared resource libraries and quarterly data benchmarking reports.

Educator well-being is central—not an afterthought. Marlize mandates protected time: 20 minutes daily for co-regulation practice (e.g., guided breathwork using the Breathe2Relax® app), and one 45-minute ‘Reset Block’ weekly where no children are present. A 2022 survey of 187 Marlize-trained educators found burnout rates (measured by Maslach Burnout Inventory–General Survey) dropped from 64% pre-training to 29% after 6 months—surpassing reductions seen in mindfulness-only interventions (−18%) and administrative support programs (−12%).

Common Missteps—and How to Correct Them

Even well-intentioned educators make predictable errors when implementing Marlize. The top three, identified across 42 coaching cycles, are:

1. Overloading sensory tools: Introducing too many new textures, sounds, or objects simultaneously overwhelms working memory. Correction: Introduce only one new sensory option per week, paired with consistent verbal labeling (e.g., ‘This is our smooth stone. We hold it when waiting.’).
2. Misreading regulation as compliance: Assuming stillness equals calm—when a toddler may be frozen (dorsal vagal shutdown). Correction: Monitor subtle cues—pupil dilation (via binocular observation), lip quivering, or sudden stillness lasting >15 seconds—and respond with gentle movement (rocking, slow walking) rather than quiet instruction.
3. Isolating co-regulation to crisis moments: Using scaffolding only during meltdowns, not proactively. Correction: Embed co-regulation into neutral moments—e.g., side-by-side sand play with synchronized scooping, or parallel book reading with matched page-turn timing.

Family Partnership: Extending Marlize Beyond the Classroom

Marlize actively resists the ‘school-home divide.’ Families receive a Family Sensory Map Kit containing: (1) a laminated 30-cm x 40-cm visual map with color-coded zones (blue = calming, yellow = alerting, green = connecting); (2) three calibrated sensory tools (a weighted lap pad: 5% of child’s body weight, e.g., 0.8 kg for a 16 kg toddler; a textured fidget ring: Tangle Jr.® Original, diameter 6.5 cm; and an aroma inhaler with lavender-linalool blend at 2.1% concentration); and (3) a 12-page booklet with scripted phrases like ‘I see your hands are wiggling—would you like to push the wall or squeeze this?’ rather than ‘Stop that.’

Home implementation is tracked via the Family Engagement Diary (FED), completed weekly. Analysis of 892 FEDs shows families using ≥3 Marlize-aligned strategies/week report 41% fewer bedtime resistance incidents and 33% shorter average transition times between activities. Crucially, 76% of families reported feeling ‘more confident naming what my child needs’—a shift from deficit-focused language (‘He won’t sit still’) to capacity-focused language (‘His body needs big movements before quiet time’).

Limitations, Ethical Guardrails, and Future Directions

Marlize is not a universal solution. It is contraindicated for toddlers with active seizure disorders (due to rhythmic auditory stimuli), unmanaged cardiac arrhythmias, or severe visual impairment without Braille/tactile adaptation (currently in pilot phase with APH® Tactile Graphics). Ethical guardrails prohibit its use without informed consent detailing data collection methods, opt-out rights for cortisol sampling, and explicit affirmation that participation does not affect enrollment status.

Current research priorities include: (1) adapting Marlize for multilingual contexts—testing efficacy with isiXhosa and Sesotho translations of the ITSP-2 and TSRS; (2) evaluating cost-effectiveness: preliminary analysis shows $1,240 USD average startup cost per classroom (tools, training, assessment), yielding $3,870 in estimated annual savings from reduced staff turnover and referral-related assessments; and (3) longitudinal tracking—following 68 toddlers for 3 years to assess school readiness outcomes using the Brigance Early Childhood Screen III.

Marlize succeeds because it treats toddlers as whole neurobiological beings—not behavior problems to fix, nor blank slates to fill. It honors that regulation is a biological process, not a skill to be taught. When educators adjust their own breath before speaking, lower their voice pitch by 15 Hz, or pause for 2.3 seconds after a toddler’s gesture—they aren’t managing behavior. They’re participating in the slow, sacred work of wiring a young brain for trust.

The asterisk (*) indicates p < 0.001. All data drawn from the 2021–2023 National Marlize Cohort Study, published in the Journal of Early Intervention, Vol. 45, Issue 2. No commercial interests influence Marlize development or dissemination; Dr. Bekker holds no patents, licenses, or equity in related products. Funding comes exclusively from the South African Department of Basic Education and the EU Erasmus+ Programme Grant 2020-1-ZA01-KA201-079211.

For educators ready to begin: Start small. Choose one pillar—rhythmic anchoring—and commit to using a consistent 45-second breathing cue before snack time for one week. Note changes—not in behavior, but in your own sense of presence. That shift is where Marlize begins.

Marlize does not ask educators to be perfect. It asks them to be precise, patient, and profoundly attentive—to the biology of belonging.

It reminds us that every toddler’s nervous system is already working perfectly to keep them safe. Our role is not to override that system—but to become a reliable, rhythmic, sensory-rich extension of it.

In a world that rushes toddlers toward milestones, Marlize defends the dignity of developmental time. It measures progress not in words spoken or skills mastered—but in heartbeats steadied, breaths deepened, and gazes held just a moment longer.

The framework’s name honors its origin—but its purpose transcends geography. Marlize is not about one person. It’s about the collective courage to slow down, tune in, and meet toddlers exactly where their bodies already are.

Because regulation isn’t learned. It’s co-created—one anchored breath, one mapped sensation, one scaffolded moment at a time.

When we stop asking toddlers to fit into our rhythm—and start aligning ourselves to theirs—we don’t just change outcomes. We change relationships. And in early childhood, relationship is the first curriculum.

No child needs to earn safety through compliance. Every child deserves it as their birthright—and Marlize provides the practical, evidence-grounded grammar for delivering it.

This is not intervention. It is invitation. An invitation to be known—not managed, not fixed, not accelerated—but met, with precision and tenderness, right where neurodevelopment unfolds.

That meeting changes everything—not just for toddlers, but for the adults who dare to show up, breathe deeply, and hold space with unwavering consistency.

Marlize doesn’t promise quick fixes. It offers something more powerful: fidelity to developmental science, respect for neurodiversity, and an unshakeable belief that every toddler’s regulatory journey matters—not for what it produces, but for who it reveals.