Zones of Regulation
Helping our children understand and manage their feelings
At the Federation, we use Zones of Regulation to help children recognise, understand and talk about their feelings.
Through stories, play and everyday experiences, we help children develop the skills to manage their emotions and begin to understand what helps them feel calm, safe and ready to learn.
What are the four zones?
🔵 Blue Zone – Low Energy
We might feel sad, tired, poorly or bored.
🟢 Green Zone – Calm and Ready
We might feel happy, calm, relaxed or focused.
🟡 Yellow Zone – Bigger Feelings
We might feel excited, worried, frustrated or silly.
🔴 Red Zone – Very Big Feelings
We might feel angry, frightened, overwhelmed or extremely excited.
There are no bad zones! All feelings are normal.
Our aim is to help children recognise how they are feeling and understand what they might need.
How do we use Zones of Regulation in nursery?
We introduce the zones through stories, visuals, play and everyday conversations.
Our adults model the language of feelings, help children recognise their emotions and support them to develop strategies for managing big feelings.
We understand that young children are still learning to regulate their emotions and often need the reassurance and support of a familiar adult.
How can you help at home?
There are lots of simple ways to support your child's emotional development:
Name feelings: "I can see you're feeling frustrated."
Talk about the zones: Use the colours to help your child recognise how they feel.
Offer reassurance: A cuddle, a favourite toy or a quiet space can help.
Explore feelings through stories: Talk about how characters might be feeling.
Model your own emotions: "I'm feeling a little frustrated, so I'm going to take a deep breath."
Remember, children don't always need us to change how they feel. Sometimes they just need us to listen, understand and help them feel safe.
Stories to Share Together
Stories are a lovely way to explore different feelings and emotions.
Enjoy watching the videos below with your child. You could talk about how the characters are feeling and what might help them.
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings
The Way I Feel - by Janan Cain
Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods
Working Together
We will be introducing parent workshops to share how we use Zones of Regulation in nursery and explore simple ways you can support your child at home.
By working together and using consistent language, we can help children develop confidence in understanding and managing their emotions.