The Zones of Regulation

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Following a zones of regulation intervention, you will be provided with recommendations for giving the child or young person further support. Our recommendations are useful for ensuring that the zones of regulation techniques are maintained outside of the intervention setting. What happens prior to a zones of regulation intervention?

The green zone is probably the best zone to be in. This is when the individual is at their best for learning and interacting. The green zone is to describe feeling calm, happy, focused, ready to learn etc. Know your child’s sensory threshold. We all process sensory information differently and it impacts our reactivity to situations. A classroom teacher may help learners analyze regulation strategies and tools that may include wellness activities, mental health and wellbeing, mindfulness, movement-based, sensory-based, play-based, thinking strategies, and healthy relationships with others. Pupils negotiate which Zone(s) would be regulated by each tool, creating a system to use tools to regulate a zone or shift from one to another. Eventually, they develop a mind-map or cognitive pathway and their individualized toolbox to guide them to regulate their Zones. The Zones of Regulation is a curriculum geared toward helping students gain skills in consciously regulating their actions, which in turn leads to increased control and problem solving abilities. Using a cognitive behaviour approach, the curriculum’s learning activities are designed to help students recognise when they are in different states called “zones,” with each of four zones represented by a different colour. In the activities, students also learn how to use strategies or tools to stay in a zone or move from one to another. Students explore calming techniques, cognitive strategies, and sensory supports so they will have a toolbox of methods to use to move between zones. To deepen students’ understanding of how to self-regulate, the lessons set out to teach students these skills: how to read others’ facial expressions and recognise a broader range of emotions, perspective about how others see and react to their behaviour, insight into events that trigger their less regulated states, and when and how to use tools and problem solving skills.Teach your child which tools they can you. (eg: “It’s time for bed. Let’s read a book together in the comfy chair to get you in the Blue Zone.”) Add movement to learning. These monthly movement activities can work for many themes. These heavy work activity cards can be used in the classroom or with various learning themes. The Zones of Regulation is an internationally-renowned intervention which helps children to manage difficult emotions, known as ‘self-regulation’. These zones help a child recognize, categorize, and communicate their feelings or emotions based on a specific zone. This makes the program an effective and fluid tool for a child to understand, learn, and achieve without feeling judged or different. What do the Colors in the Zones of Regulation Program Mean?

Anyone from the age of 4 upto 25, depending on cognitive abilities, may be suitable for a zones of regulation intervention at HSR Psychology. Create a safe and open space for children to express their feelings. Encourage them to talk about their emotions and experiences. Active listening and empathetic responses can go a long way in helping children regulate their emotions.

Essential and Supplemental Resources

Anyone interested in learning how to implement The Zones of Regulation curriculum should sign up for training, including: The program supports children and families in better understanding how self-regulation works through concreate concepts, colors, and strategies. Some of these best practices identified above are rooted in neuroscience and child development, while others are related to learning styles and concepts or strategies important for neurodivergent learners. Committed to Continuous Improvement Strategies for regulation can include sensory supports, calming techniques, and cognitive strategies. For example, a student might use a sensory tool like a stress ball to help manage their alertness levels, or they might use a cognitive strategy like problem-solving or positive self-talk. All of the Zones are experienced naturally, and the framework focuses on teaching individuals how to recognise and manage their Zones based on their goals and task demands.