At Denham Village School we use The Zones of Regulation with all of our children (including those in our Reception class). All classrooms have Zones of Regulation charts which the children use throughout the day. 

The Zones of Regulation is an internationally renowned intervention which helps children to manage difficult emotions, known as ‘self-regulation’.  

Self-regulation can go by many names, such as ‘emotional regulation’, ‘self-control’, ‘impulse management’ and ‘self-management’. Self-regulation is best described as the best state of alertness for a situation, or the ability to maintain a well regulated emotional state to cope with everyday stress and to be most available for learning and interacting. 

From time to time, all of us (including adults) find it hard to manage strong feelings such as worry, anger, restlessness, fear or tiredness, and this stops us from getting on with our day effectively. Children who feel these emotions often find it hard to learn and concentrate in school. 

The Zones of Regulation aim to teach children strategies to help them to identify their emotions and cope with these feelings so they can get back to feeling calm and ready to learn. These coping strategies are called ‘self-regulation’. 

Some children may find it more challenging than others to manage their big emotions. To support them, we offer a weekly small-group intervention where children can learn to understand their feelings and develop effective strategies to help them return to the “green zone.”

Below, you’ll find a helpful resource that explains more about the Zones of Regulation framework and provides practical tools to support your child’s emotional regulation at home.