Zones of Regulation Toolkit

These ‘tools’ aren’t just for school: they can be used at home to help the child to regulate (manage) their emotions.

Read through some of the strategies below to decide what would go in your Zones of Regulation toolkit? Think about:

What helps you to calm down when you are stressed?

What helps you to focus when you are tired?

What do you do to calm down when you are angry?

Different tools work for different people. Can you help your child choose what works for them when they need to move from one zone to another?

What is the Blue Zone?  

The Blue Zone is used to describe low states of alertness and down feelings, such as when one feels sad, tired, sick, or bored.  

What is the Green Zone?  

The Green Zone is used to describe a calm state of alertness. A person may be described as happy, focused, content, or ready to learn when in the Green Zone. This is the zone where optimal learning occurs.  

What is the Yellow Zone?  

The Yellow Zone is also used to describe a heightened state of alertness and elevated emotions; however, one has some control when they are in the Yellow Zone. A person may be experiencing stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, the wiggles, or nervousness when in the Yellow Zone.   

What is the Red Zone?  

The Red Zone is used to describe extremely heightened states of alertness and intense emotions. A person may be elated or experiencing anger, rage, explosive behaviour, devastation, or terror when in the Red Zone.   

Other resources and tools you may choose to utilise at home.

Sensory tools include anything which you can see, touch/feel, smell, hear or taste. They also are things which encourage you to move.  

• Having a bear hug 
• Using a wobble cushion 
• Using a weighted toy or blanket 
• Ear defenders / headphones 
• Blowing bubbles 

• Watching changing coloured lights 
• Soft, dimmed lighting 
• Fidget and squeezy toys or putty 
• Smelling relaxing scents like Lavender 
• Eating chewy food 

• Swinging or rocking 
• Eating a strong mint 
• Wall push-ups 
• Sucking a smoothie or milkshake through a straw 
• Roll on a balance ball 

• Listen to music 
• Have a dance 
• Jumping on a trampoline 
• Having a nice warm bath 
• Listening to bird / nature sounds 

Thinking Techniques 

These are strategies to challenge negative thoughts and help a child to deal with problems.  

Make sure you frequently praise your child for having expected reactions rather than just pointing out the unexpected reactions. 

Breathing Techniques 

Starting at the star, trace with your finger the sides of the hexagon as you take a deep breath in, feeling your shoulders rise as the air fills you. Trace over the next side as you hold your breath for a moment. Slowly breathe out as you trace the third side of the hexagon. Continue tracing around the bottom three sides of the hexagon as you complete another deep breath. Continue the Six Sides of Breathing cycle until you feel calm and relaxed.  

Grounding Techniques 

Grounding techniques can help someone who is extremely anxious or scared, has lost control and is struggling to calm down. 

Identify: 

• 5 things you see 
• 4 things you hear 
• 3 things you smell 
• 2 things you can touch
• 1 thing you taste 

5-4-3-2-1 Sights 

If noticing each sense is tough right now, try an exercise just with sights. Create categories and have them name what they see. Here’s an example: 

• 5 colours I see 
• 4 shapes I see 
• 3 soft things I see 
• 2 people I see 
• 1 book I see 

A-B-C Around the Room 

This exercise will get the child connected with that place where they are right now. Have your child look around the room and name something they see that starts with A, then B, then C and so forth. See how far they can get through the alphabet and then check-in to see how they’re feeling once they reach the end. 

Object Focus 

Keep some unique items on hand with different textures and colours. These could be sensory items, colourful rocks, snow globes or something else. Children can hold an item in their hands and tune in all of their focus to the item. Notice the colours. Notice the textures. How does it feel in my hand? How does it feel when I squeeze it? What colours do I see? Just notice everything there is to notice about the item! 

‘I am Here’ Hand Trace 

For this exercise, you’ll need paper and a pencil, marker, or crayon. Children will trace a hand on the paper. You can take this a few different directions. Children can simply press the hand into the space on the paper and feel the connection between hand and table. Alternatively, they can use the space inside the hand to write things they see or describe the room. 

Reorientation 

To re-orient to the moment, just have the child name facts about the moment. You can give them a card to keep with them to remind them of facts they can state and practice, practice, practice! It might sound like: 

• My name is…
• I am in… 
• Today is… 
• The season is… 
• The weather is… 
• I am wearing… 

Room Search 

Pick one broad category and search the room. Name everything in the room that is green. How many stars can you find in the room? Say the type of shoe everyone in the room is wearing. Count the bricks on one wall.