We use the Zones of Regulation to support emotional regulation. The Zones of Regulation is a curriculum based around the use of four colours to help children self-identify how they’re feeling and categorise it based on colour. The curriculum also helps children better understand their emotions, sensory needs and thinking patterns. The children learn different strategies to cope and manage their emotions based on which colour zone they’re in. Additionally, the Zones of Regulation helps children to recognise their own triggers, learn to read facial expressions, develop problem-solving skills, and become more attuned to how their actions affect other people. 

 

The Blue Zone 

The Blue Zone is used to describe low states of alertness, such as when a person feels sad, tired, sick or bored.  This is when their body and/or brain is moving slowly or feeling sluggish.   

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The Green Zone

The Green Zone is used to describe a regulated state of alertness.  A person may be described as calm, happy, focused or content when in the Green Zone.  This is the zone pupils need to be in at school and for being social and show control.   

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The Yellow Zone

The Yellow Zone is used to describe a heightened state of alertness; however, a person has some control when in the Yellow Zone.  A person may be experiencing stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, nervousness, confusion, and many more slightly elevated emotions and states in the Yellow Zone (such as wiggly, squirmy, or sensory seeking).  The Yellow Zone is a sign that a person is starting to lose control.    

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The Red Zone 

The Red Zone is used to describe extremely heightened states of alertness or very intense feelings.  A person may be experiencing anger, rage, explosive behaviour, panic, terror, or elation when in the Red Zone.  Being in the Red Zone can best be explained by not being in control of one’s body. 

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Why use the Zones of Regulation at home?

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• The 'zones' support the use of a consistent shared language to discuss emotions together.

• They are simple for children to understand. 

• They support children in labelling emotions and identifying how they are feeling.

• The 'zones' help children to understand that there are no 'bad' emotions.

• Children learn healthy coping and regulation strategies which allow them to, eventually, help themselves when they lose control of their emotions, become stressed, anxious or sad. 

• Typically, children who can self-regulate will turn into teens and young adults who can self-regulate. 

• Understanding the emotions of others helps with empathy and friendship skills.

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What can I do as a parent?

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Talk to your child about:

• How they are feeling; help them to label and name their emotion. Identify your own feelings using 'Zones' language in front of your child (e.g. “I’m frustrated, I am in the yellow zone.”)

• Talk about their body cues when they feel each emotion. What are the physical feelings behind the emotion? (e.g. feeling butterflies in our tummy when we feel nervous or worried) Recognising emotions is the first step to regulating them.

• Discuss why they are feeling a certain way; has anything happened?

• Talk about times when you, a family member or a character from a film or book felt that way.

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Key Points to remember:

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• There is no ‘bad’ zone.

• Everyone experiences all of the 'zones' at different times and in different circumstances.

• We can’t change the way children feel but we can help them to manage their feelings/states and behaviours.

• You can be in more than one 'zone' at a time e.g. sad and angry.

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For children who needs extra help in this area, we provide therapy using the Thrive Approach.

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Our classes have daily well-being check-ins in the form of emojis, blob trees, worry monsters and feeling registers and we teach all our pupils helpful relaxation techniques such as yoga, mindfulness and controlled breathing.