How to implement Zones of Regulation at home:

Introduce the Zones:

Explain the four zones – Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red – using visual aids like posters or charts. A great movie to watch is “Inside Out” which explores different emotions you can feel and what it is like when one emotion has control.

Blue – The Blue Zone is used to describe low states of alertness. Feelings may include: sad, tired, sick, or bored.

Green – The Green Zone represents a calm state of alertness. Feelings may include: happy, focused, content, proud or ready to learn. The Green Zone is the optimal Zone and the one we try to get back to by using our coping strategies.

Yellow – The Yellow Zone represents a heightened state of alertness and can serve as a warning. Feelings may include: stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, worried, silliness, “the wiggles”, or nervousness.

Red – The Red Zone represents very intense emotions and often leads to difficulty with problem solving. Feelings may include: elated, anger, rage, devastation, yelling, hitting or out of control behaviour.

Model your own Zones:

Share how you’re feeling and which Zone you’re in. For example, “I’m feeling a bit frustrated because I can’t find my keys, so I’m in the Yellow Zone”. 

Identify your child’s Zones:

Help your child identify their own feelings and the corresponding Zone. “You look like you’re feeling a bit sad, are you in the Blue Zone?”. Acknowledge that it is OK to be in different zones.

Develop a toolbox of strategies:

Create a list of calming strategies and tools that can help when in different Zones. These can include deep breathing, taking a break, listening to music, engaging in a favourite activity, going to a designated calm corner, going for a walk, getting a hug from mum, drink water etc. You may even want to do a “strategy of the week” and have the whole family practise using a specific tool from their toolbox.

Identify triggers:

Practise identifying possible triggers to the Zones of Regulation. Triggers are specific events, situations, or even thoughts that move a person from the Green Zone into the Yellow or Red Zone. Identifying these triggers is a crucial step in learning to self-regulate. For example: “I know that going to new places makes me anxious and puts me in the Yellow Zone, so today I am going to take my favourite teddy with me to help me regulate my tricky emotions.”

Practice regularly:

Integrate Zones check-ins into daily routines, such as during mealtimes or before bedtime. For example, you could tell them, “This morning I woke up in the Green Zone because I was ready to start the day. Then, I tried to pack my school bag but I couldn’t fit my library book in, so I moved to the Yellow Zone because I got frustrated”. The more often you make this part of your daily routine, the more familiar and comfortable your children will be with implementing the language and coping strategies.

Celebrate successes:

Acknowledge and praise efforts to manage emotions and stay in the Green Zone. Celebrate when your child utilises their toolbox of strategies to regulate their emotions or when they identify a possible trigger before it happens.

Make it fun:

Use games, stories, and other engaging activities to teach and reinforce the concepts of The Zones. There are a range of videos on YouTube that teaches children how to identify their Zone and possible strategies they could use.

How to Access a Psychologist at CQ Psych Services:

• Contact us directly by calling 07 4972 6929 or email admin@cqpsychservices.com.au
• Ask your GP or health professional to refer you to our clinic.
• Come in and see our friendly staff at Shop 1 & 2, 13 Tank Street, Gladstone QLD 4680.
• Visit our website and complete a ‘Request an Appointment’ form and one of our friendly staff will reply to your enquiry. Website: https://cqpsychservices.com.au/

Author: Emily Humphrey

Capacity Building Clinician