Zones of Regulation
At Kowloon Junior School we use the Zones of Regulation to help our students identify and regulate their own emotions.
We tell the children that there are no "good" or "bad" zones, there are just different emotions within each zone. We help them identify some strategies they can use to move from one zone to another so that they are feeling ready for learning.
You can watch this video with your child to help them identify which zones the characters are in.
At Kowloon Junior School we take time to teach the children about the different zones and we co-construct the language that goes with each zone with the children. Through co-constructing the language, we notice that the children are better able to understand what each zone means.
The Lazy 8 Breathing technique is just one strategy the children learn to calm themselves down and regulate their breathing and their bodies.
Tools and Strategies for Regulation
There are multiple tools and strategies that our students can use to self-regulate – and they will be individual to each child. However, it may be useful to think about the types of activities that will help our children to regulate in each zone.
Blue Zone Tools: Think about what you might do as an adult to make you feel better when you are sad, tired or bored.
This might include talking to a trusted person, breathing, taking a break and relaxing, doing a hobby or importantly, doing some physical exercise. These exercises should wake up our bodies, recharge and activate our senses and regain our focus. Examples may include: taking a walk, doing some active movement (think jumping, bouncing or swinging).
Green Zone Tools: Think about the strategies you or your child uses to maintain your happiness, alertness in the activity you are engaging in, and calmness.
This may include all of the activities mentioned above, and also pay attention to the environment your child is in – is it safe, calm and enabling of engagement?
Yellow Zone Tools: When you see your child starting to become heightened, fidgety, overexcited or unfocussed – try to introduce the following calming strategies to prevent an escalation into the Red Zone (or out of control) - see image below
Red Zone Tools: Once in the Red Zone, your child will more than likely need to be removed from the situation/setting, and it is encouraged that they go to an environment that is calming and safe.
Calming strategies that ‘power down’ the emotions your child is feeling can be practiced here.
These include:
Deep breathing
Deep pressure/heavy work activities
Sensory activities – using sensory aids and tools such as theraputty, stress balls, vibrating snakes etc.
Taking a walk in a quiet place
Going to a quiet and dark area (i.e. pillow fort/dark tent)
Minimise your language when your child is in the red zone – be clear, concise and calm in your tone.
Yellow Zone Tools