Close
An Introduction to The Zones of Regulation
As Head of Wellbeing and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Emily Brown and Miss Emma Street respectively began researching wellbeing approaches tailored to Lancing Prep Worthing children. Their research led them to the Zones of Regulation approach founded by Leah Kuypers, an Occupational Therapist specialising in regulation and social-emotional learning.The curriculum is aimed at increasing children’s skills in regulating their feelings, gaining emotional control, and developing problem solving abilities. We thought it would work incredibly well for the children in our school.
The Zones of Regulation is an approach which helps children to manage their emotions, known as ‘self-regulation’. Self-regulation can go by many names such as ‘self-control’, ‘impulse management’ and ‘self-management’. Self-regulation is best described as the best state of alertness for a situation.
We all can find it hard to manage strong feelings and these emotions can prevent us from getting on with our day effectively. The Zones of Regulation aims to teach children strategies to help them cope with these feelings so they can get back to feeling calm and ready to learn.
The Zones of Regulation Chart
Each Zone represents positive and negative emotions, which can be linked to energy levels which help to identify which Zone you are in. For example, the Red Zone is for extreme emotions and extreme energy levels, both devastation or excitement.
Although the Green Zone is predominantly, calm, relaxed, happy and the desired zone for learning, it is dependent on an individual child . Whist we strive to help and support children to be in this Zone, a child’s natural Zone may be different to another's. For example, a child’s ‘normal’ happy, relaxed Zone maybe Yellow and that is okay. All children are unique and individual, therefore their Zones are unique to them too.
Understanding the Zones of Regulation
- Blue Zone tools: help wake up our bodies, help us feel better and regain focus.
- Green Zone tools: help us stay calm, focused and feeling good. These are often proactive strategies.
- Yellow Zone tools: help us regain control and calm ourselves, regulate breathing and heart rate and replenish oxygen into our bodies and brain.
- Red Zone tools: help us to stay safe and help us start to calm down.
The Aims of Zones of Regulation
Children have been learning about Zones of Regulation as part of the PSHEE curriculum. Children will be taught that it is important to experience all zones, there are no bad zones. Transitioning through the Zones is normal and natural throughout one's day.
It is our aim to help children to:
- Recognise when they are in different Zones and learn how to transition into the calm green Zones.
- Increase their emotional vocabulary so they can explain how they are feeling.
- Recognise when other people are in different Zones, and develop empathy.
- In line with our learning powers, continue to develop problem-solving skills and resilience.
- Identify a range of calming strategies that support them (known as their personal ‘toolbox’).
Using The Zones of Regulation
To build the children’s resilience and skills to regulate, we are teaching them strategies to cope with their emotions and feelings that are uncomfortable. These ‘tools’ are being practiced and promoted during form time and PSHEE lessons. The children will essentially have a metaphorical ‘toolbox’ with the skills and strategies to regulate wherever and whenever they need to.
Tools for Managing Emotions
Tools can be used to help your child regulate (manage) their emotions. Different tools work for different people.
Sensory Tools - Anything which you can see, touch/feel, smell, hear or taste. They are also things which encourage you to move. Using a weighted toy or blanket, blowing bubbles, smelling relaxing scents, jumping on a trampoline, having a bath, going for a walk, smooth pebbles, bubble wrap, materials.
Calming Activities - Any activities that distract you or need you to focus to take your mind off worries and negative thoughts. Puzzles, listening to music, drawing, play-doh, reading, walking, fresh air, lego, reading a book or looking at pictures.
Thinking Techniques - Strategies to challenge negative thoughts and help a child deal with problems (Have a look at our Toolbox strategies for ideas)
Using the Zones of Regulation at Home
- Identify you own feelings using Zones language in front of your child. E.g. ‘I’m frustrated, I think I am in the Yellow Zone’.
- Talk about what tool you will use to be in the appropriate Zone, e.g. ‘I need to take deep breaths to help me back to the Green Zone’.
- Teach your child which tools they can use e.g. ‘It’s time for bed, let’s read a book together to get you in the Blue Zone’.
- Share how their behaviour is affecting your Zone, e.g. if they are in the Green Zone you could comment that their behaviour is also helping you feel happy/ go into the Green Zone.
- Praise and encourage your child when they share which Zone they are in – If they talk to you about the little things, they hopefully will feel more comfortable talking to you about the bigger things too.