Zones of Regulation

Zones of Regulation are extremely helpful for a student to identify how they are feeling. 

We want students to know that everyone experiences all of the Zones. The Red and Yellow zones are not ‘bad’ or ‘naughty’ Zones. All of the Zones are expected at one time or another. We will show them that the Blue Zone, for example, is helpful when you are trying to fall asleep. 

We aim to help children to: 

• Recognize when they are in the different Zones and learn how to change or stay in the Zone they are in. 

• Increase their emotional vocabulary so they can explain how they are feeling. 

• Recognie when other people are in different Zones, thus developing better empathy. 

• Develop an insight into what might make them move into the different Zones. 

• Understand that emotions, sensory experiences such as lack of sleep or hunger and their environment might influence which Zone they are in. 

• Develop problem-solving skills and resilience 

• Identify a range of calming/coping and alerting strategies that support them. 

What are the different Zones?

 Blue Zone: low level of energy; not ready to learn; feels sad, sick, tired, bored, moving slowly. 

Green Zone: calm state of alertness; optimal level to learn; feels happy, calm, feeling okay, focused. 

Yellow Zone: heightened state of alertness; elevated emotions; has some control; feels frustrated, worried, silly/wiggly, excited, loss of some control. 

Red Zone: heightened state of alertness and intense emotions; not an optimal level for learning; out of control; feels mad/angry, terrified, yelling/hitting, elated, out of control. 

Common questions on the Zones of Regulation:

• Can my child be in more than one zone at the same time? 

  • Yes. Your child may feel tired (blue zone) because they did not get enough sleep, and anxious (yellow zone) because they are worried about an activity at school. Listing more than one Zone reflects a good sense of personal feelings and alertness levels. 

• Should children be punished for being in the RED Zone? 

  • It’s best for children to experience the natural consequences of being in the RED zone. If a child’s actions/choices hurt someone or destroys property, they need to repair the relationship and take responsibility for the mess they create. Once the child has calmed down, use the experience as a learning opportunity to process what the child would do differently next time. 

• Can you look like one Zone on the outside and feel like you are in another Zone on the inside?

  •  Yes. Many of us “disguise” our Zone to match social expectations. We use the expression “put on a happy face” or mask the emotion so other people will have good thoughts about us. Parents often say that their children “lose it” and goes into the Red Zone as soon as they get home. This is because children are increasing their awareness of their peers and expectations when in the classroom. They make every effort to keep it together at school to stay in the Green Zone. Home is when they feel safe to let it all out.