For families new to Holy Cross, you may have heard your child, or their teacher mention the "Zones of Regulation." To help clarify, we wanted to provide an introduction (or refresher) on what this program is and how we use it to support students in developing a shared emotional language.

What Are the Zones of Regulation?

The Zones of Regulation framework was created by Leah Kuypers in 2011 as a social skills intervention, originally designed to support children with ASD or ADHD. However, it has proven beneficial for all children—and even adults. At Holy Cross, we explicitly teach this framework to help students:

• Identify their emotions and energy levels
• Learn effective self-regulation strategies
• Understand when and how to use these strategies
• Solve problems and develop positive solutions with support
• Recognise how their behaviour affects others
• Develop independence in managing their emotions and responses

When children (or adults) experience strong emotions, they may struggle to manage their impulses or reactions. The ability to recognise and regulate our own heightened states is called self-regulation—a crucial skill for emotional well-being, decision-making, and learning.

Why Teach Self-Regulation?

Self-regulation helps children succeed in school and social settings. Those who can manage their emotions and impulses are better equipped to focus on learning, navigate challenges, and build positive relationships. Research also shows that teachers play a key role in developing students' self-regulation skills, which carry into adolescence and adulthood.

Understanding the Four Zones

At Holy Cross, we use four color-coded zones to help students understand their emotions and energy levels:

• Blue Zone (Low Energy) – When a child is feeling tired, sad, sick, or bored. Their body is running slow, and they may need rest or strategies to boost their energy.
• Green Zone (Balanced Energy) – The ideal state for learning. In this zone, children feel happy, calm, and focused. Their energy is balanced.
• Yellow Zone (High Energy, Need for Regulation) – A heightened state where children may feel excited, frustrated, anxious, or silly. It can be difficult to focus, so strategies are needed to bring energy levels back to balance.
• Red Zone (Overwhelmed, Loss of Control) – A state of extreme emotion, such as anger, fear, or elation, where a child may struggle to think clearly. Adult support is often needed to help them regain control.
  

  It’s important to note that no zone is “bad” or “wrong”—everyone experiences different emotions and energy levels throughout the day. Some children may naturally lean toward the Blue or Yellow Zones depending on their temperament. Our goal is to equip them with strategies to balance their energy levels and access learning effectively.

  How We Use the Zones at Holy Cross

  At Holy Cross, we support students in building a consistent, shared emotional language. Through direct teaching and practice, children learn to recognise their energy levels and apply appropriate strategies. For example:

  • If they are in the Blue Zone and feeling sluggish, we help them find ways to increase their energy.
  • If they are in the Yellow Zone and feeling overexcited, we teach strategies to help them calm down and refocus.
  • If they begin to escalate toward the Red Zone, we provide tools to prevent emotional overwhelm and support recovery.

  Students are also encouraged to explore their thoughts and thinking patterns, helping them find solutions to self-regulate before their emotions escalate.

  Holy Cross Video Resource

  

  To support parents in understanding how the Zones of Regulation are applied in our school, we have created a video resource. You can find it on the Parent Portal under the video folder—check it out!

  By working together, we can help children develop strong self-regulation skills, supporting their success both in and out of the classroom.

  • For more information on the Zones of Regulation you can link onto the website zonesofregulation.com
  • If you would like to talk more about the Zones of Regulation and how you could implement this at home, please email jcordwell@cns.catholic.edu.au

   

  Jo Cordwell
  Holy Cross School Counsellor