The Zones of Regulation

Parent Information

In Nursery and Reception, we use the ‘Zones of Regulation’ to promote positive behaviour management.  All staff have received training on the theory and practice of this.

What are the Zones of Regulation?

The zones of regulation teach children to identify and manage their emotions. It is designed so children can foster self-regulation and emotional control.

What is Self-Regulation?

How about self-regulation is the ability to use our thinking brains so we can stop and think before we act.

Why use the Zones of Regulation?

 To teach children how to:

· Identify their feelings

· Be aware of what zone they are in

· Start to use tools to be in the appropriate zone for the moment

What are the Bears?

The bears help children to identify the way they are feeling.

What are the Zones?

The children are taught to identify different feelings and the zones like in the examples below.

 Blue - my thinking brain feels slow and sluggish (e.g. tired / unwell)

 Green - I can use my thinking brain to learn and problem solve (e.g. happy, well, safe)

Yellow - I can use my thinking brain but it's difficult to listen to it (e.g. excited, worried, angry)

Red - I can't use my thinking brain, I'm just reacting (e.g. over-excited, terrified, furious) 

What are the Tools?

The tools teach children different ways to help them get back into the green zone.

Things to Know

Every zone is a good zone and appropriate at different times. E.g. it is ok to feel angry and this is normal, for example if someone has taken a toy off you.

It is important that adults identify their own feelings in front of the children e.g. I am frustrated, I am in the yellow zone.

Adults model what they do about it e.g. I am going for a walk, I need to get into the green zone.

Adults help the children by labelling the zone they are in throughout the day e.g. you look sleepy, you are in the blue zone.