Hello parents, students and colleagues  

What is “Zones of Regulation”?

The Zones of Regulation Programme is a framework designed to foster self-regulation and emotional control. It was developed by Leah Kuypers in 2011 (OT/autism specialist in America).

How does it work?

It groups emotions into 4 Zones; Blue, Green, Yellow and Red and teaches us to recognise how we are feeling and what we can do in each zone to help deal with our emotions in an acceptable way. There are no bad zones but operating in the green zone is preferable. People may move through the zones during the course of their day.

Image by: Ben Gorman

Why use “Zones of Regulation”? 

If we teach our children “good” coping and self-regulation skills, they can help themselves when they become anxious, sad or stressed. Teaching our children about using helpful strategies when they are in a calm state will give them the tools to deal with overwhelming emotions when they occur.

Who benefits from Zones of Regulation? 

We all benefit by being able to recognise our emotions, what triggers certain emotions in us and what we can do to regulate our emotions. Although this is written for your child at home and at school, you may find the strategies will work for adults as well.

Tools that can assist

Blue zone- Stretch

Green zone- Drink water

Yellow zone- Deep breaths

Red Zone- Take a break

Everyone will have a specific tool to assist regulation that suits them so it is preferable to speak with your child and find out what tool can work for them.