The Zones of Regulation

Learning to identify and regulate emotions is a big job, especially for kids. One tool that many teachers have found helpful is a curriculum developed by Leah Kuypers, called the Zones of Regulation .

The Zones of Regulation is a framework that uses four colors to help students identify their feelings and level of alertness and provides strategies to support emotional regulation. By understanding how to notice their body’s signals, detect triggers, read social context, and consider how their behaviors impact those around them, students learn improved emotional control, sensory regulation, self-awareness, and problem-solving skills.

The Zones of Regulation Team have developed an app which was recently awarded ‘The Moms Choice Award’. You can find out more about the app in this short video.

What are the Zones of Regulation?

In Saint Ultans, the Zones of Regulation is a program that some of our teachers use to help children learn about feelings and emotions, and figuring out how we can regulate our feelings. Different colours represent the different zones, and we can we can put feelings and emotions in each zone to describe how we are.

It is really important for adults and children to understand that there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ zones. Emotions and feelings are a normal part of life. It’s not about preventing feelings but learning how to manage our behaviour when we feel a certain way, so our feelings don’t affect how we learn or how we treat other people.

@socialthinking have shared some free resources including a step by step video of how to do a ‘Zones of Regulation Lesson’ at home. You can watch the video below to find out how to ‘Create a Zones Check-in for Home’ . They also have a free handout which you can access by clicking this button.