At Severnbanks Primary School, we recognise the importance of promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing to our children and their families. We aim to create an open culture around the discussion of mental health and wellbeing and to empower our children be able to regulate their emotions. By implementing the Zones of Regulation curriculum we aim to teach our pupils to identify emotions in themselves and others and provide them with bank of strategies to help regulate their emotions and improve their wellbeing.

The Zones of Regulation is a range of activities to help your child develop skills in the area of self-regulation. Self-regulation can go by many names, such as self-control, self-management and impulse control. It is defined as the best state of alertness of both the body and emotions for the specific situation. For example, when your child plays in a basketball game, it is beneficial to have a higher state of alertness. However, that same state would not be appropriate in the library.

The Zones of Regulation is a curriculum based around the use of four colours to help children self-identify how they’re feeling and categorise it based on colour. The curriculum also helps children better understand their emotions, sensory needs and thinking patterns. The children learn different strategies to cope and manage their emotions based on which colour zone they’re in. Additionally, the Zones of Regulation helps children to recognise their own triggers, learn to read facial expressions, develop problem-solving skills, and become more attuned to how their actions affect other people.

There is progression across the curriculum with children in Early Years learning to identify different emotions to children in Upper Key Stage 2 discussing how our behaviour can impact upon the feelings of those around us.

Please read our guide to the Zones of Regulation. 

If you have any questions, please ask your child’s class teacher.

Understanding the Zones:

Each zone is represented by a different colour. 

Talk through the zones with your child. Ask them how they would feel in each zone?

Discuss what emotion they feel in each zone e.g. in the yellow zone I may feel worried

How they physically feel e.g. in yellow zone I may have butterflies in my stomach or have sweaty palms (if feeling anxious).

Then discuss what might they be doing- what be their actions e.g. in yellow zone would they be pacing around, snapping at others, fidgeting?

Then discuss how to help them move into the Green zone e.g. if I was in the Yellow zone and feeling anxious I might find competing some yoga stretches/ breathing techniques helps me get back into the green zone.

Create a list of strategies that work for the child- Remind the child that we are all unique and the strategies that work for one person might not help them so they need to think about what would help them.

Remind them that we will experience all zones and there are no good or bad zones- however our success in regulating our emotions depends on us recognising our emotion, understanding it and putting a support strategy in place.  

Blue Zone

What is the Blue Zone?

The blue zone is used when a person is feeling low states of alertness or arousal.

When you’re in the blue zone you may be feeling down – sad, sick, tired, or bored. You’re still in control, as you are in the yellow zone, but with low energy emotions.

How would your child behave in the Blue Zone?

absence of feelings

irritability

lack of pleasure

lack of motivation

tearful

withdrawn

difficulty in concentrating

How might your child be feeling in the Blue Zone?

What coping strategies do we implement in school?

Exercise

Alerting sensory breaks

Reflecting on what makes us happy

Talking to our teachers and friends

What strategies can you use at home?

Listen to upbeat music

Complete some cardio based exercise

Get up, get showered and get dressed

Jump on a trampoline

Talk to a friend

Do something creative

Cuddle or play with pets.

Go for a walk

Plan a fun activity

Look through old photographs or snap some new ones.

Re-watch a funny or inspiring YouTube video.

Stories to read at home

Lucy’s In Lockdown – CBeebies style reading – YouTube

Lucy’s Blue Day

Green Zone

What is the Green  Zone?

The green zone is used to describe when you’re in a calm state of alertness.

Being in the green zone means you are calm, focused, happy, or ready to learn. This is predominantly the state you want your child to be in. It’s also the state most needed in the classroom in order to learn.

How would your child behave in the Green Zone?

Calm

Focused

Happy

Content

How might your child be feeling in the Green Zone?

What strategies do we implement in school to keep children in the Green Zone?

Implement daily sensory breaks

Sensory areas on the playground

Celebrate Mental Health focused days throughout the school year

PSHE lessons

Mindfulness activities

Circle time

Use a positive behaviour policy

Encourage a healthy lifestyle

Teach children how to keep fit

What strategies can you use at home?

Self-care- treat yourself to a relaxing bath or night off homework

Organise your clothes for school the night before to prevent stress

Spend time with your friends and family

Take time out to do something you love to do

Eat healthy and nutritious food

Drink plenty of water

Get 8 hours+ sleep

Stories to read at home

Storytime for kids Augustus and his Smile by Catherine Rayner – Bing video

The Jar of Happiness – YouTube

Tough Guys (Have feelings too) – YouTube

Yellow Zone

What is the Yellow Zone?

The yellow zone describes when you have a heightened sense of alertness.

This isn’t always a bad thing, and you typically still have some control when you’re in the yellow zone. Being in the yellow means you may feel frustrated, anxious or nervous. But, it could also mean you’re feeling excited, silly, or hyper – which is okay in the right situations.

How would your child behave in the Yellow Zone?

Avoiding situations

Avoiding social settings

Biting nails

Sleeping issues

Tearful

Struggling to concentrate

Hyper-vigilant

How might your child be feeling in the Yellow Zone?

What coping strategies do we implement in school?

Breathing strategies

Meditation

What strategies can you use at home?

Breathing techniques

Take time out

Relaxing exercises e.g. yoga/ stretches

Meditation

Keep a journal

Make a worry monster

Listening to calming music

Stories to read at home

Ruby’s Worry by Tom Percival | Read by Teacher Charla – YouTube

Red Zone

What is the Red Zone ?

The red zone describes an extremely heightened state of intense emotions. When a person reaches the red zone, they’re no longer about to control their emotions or reactions.

This is the zone kids are in during meltdowns. Being in the red zone means you’re feeling anger, rage, terror, or complete devastation and feel out of control.

How would your child behave in the Red Zone?

Excessive outbursts

Fighting

Shouting

Irritability

Acting dangerously

Lack of control

Resentful

 How might your child be feeling in the Red Zone?

What coping strategies do we implement in school?

Take time out

Use a stress ball

Use the calm corner

Time to talk through our thoughts, feelings and behaviours

Breathing strategies

What strategies can you use at home?

Talk to an adult

Hug a teddy

Pop bubble wrap

Wrap your arms around yourself and squeeze

Write down what’s bothering you and rip it up

Squeeze a stress ball

Talk about it

Scribble on paper and crumple it up

Use breathing techniques

Do stretches

Listen to calming music

Take time out

Use sensory glitter jars

Stories to read at home

Ravi’s Roar by Tom Percival | Read by Teacher Charla – YouTube