Blog Layout

Communicating Emotions: Zones of Regulation

March 25, 2025

Communicating Emotions: Zones of Regulation

Most children, especially neurodiverse children, struggle at some point with communicating emotions. Children with speech and language delays, and children who require Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems (AAC devices), may also struggle with frustration when trying to communicate how they are feeling.


One strategy that pediatric therapists can utilize to help children communicate emotions is a technique known as the Zones of Regulation.


The Zones of Regulation consists of four colored zones: Blue, Green, Yellow and Red. Each zone provides a visual for different kinds of feelings and energy levels. Organizing emotions into four simple sections can be a helpful visual for children, allowing them to communicate their emotions by simply pointing to one of the color blocks that hold the emotions they are feeling.




1. The Red Zone

Emotions: Elated/overjoyed, angry, terrified, devastated, panicked, out of control

The Red Zone is a high energy zone, characterized by strong or intense emotions of either sadness, joy, anger or fear.

2. The Yellow Zone

Emotions: Stressed, worried, excited, silly, frustrated

The Yellow Zone is still a higher energy zone, but not quite as high as the red zone. The Yellow Zone characterizes emotions that often represent an unbalance in our nervous system, including stress, frustration, excitement, confusion, overwhelm, and nervousness.

3. The Green Zone

Emotions: Focused, happy, content, proud, calm, comfortable.

The Green Zone is a calm, but alert state. Our energy is balanced and present, and our nervous system feels safe.

4. The Blue Zone

Emotions: Sad, fatigue, bored, sick, tired

The Blue Zone is the least alert state. It describes down feelings, such as boredom, hurt, loneliness or illness. In the blue zone, most often the main thing that we need is rest and comfort.

The movie, Inside Out, does a great job of personifying emotions in a way that children can understand. Each character embodies a different emotion, making it easy for children to grasp how different emotions carry different actions or energy levels

In therapy, most commonly occupational and speech, the Zones of Regulation can be a great tool to help kids communicate their emotions and energy level. The ability to identify and point out how they are feeling is a very important first step.

For children utilizing AAC devices, the Zones of Regulation can help with the building of core words, giving individuals the autonomy to express and communicate how they are feeling, even if they cannot speak.


Have you tried the Zones of Regulation? How do you help your child communicate their emotions?


References: The Zones of Regulation

March 10, 2025
Did you know that swinging can have a major impact on a child's vestibular system? The vestibular system is a sensory system in the inner ear that helps with balance and spatial orientation. Learn more about difference types of sensory swings including: bolster swings, ladder swings, cuddle/cocoon swings, hanging pod swings and platform swings.
February 19, 2025
Feeding therapy is a specialized type of therapy that can be performed by occupational therapists and speech language pathologists. Feeding therapy is most commonly utilized for babies and toddlers, as feeding and swallowing problems usually present early in life.
February 13, 2025
What is Torticollis?
February 12, 2025
Primitive reflexes are reflexes that a baby is born with that typically go away(integrate) within the first year of life. However, there are times when these primitive reflexes to not integrate on their own and require the successful implementation of exercises.
February 5, 2025
Recreational classes (specifically tumbling classes) are fun, social movement opportunities for children of all ages to play in a safe and secure space. But tumbling and gymnastics classes offer so many benefits, including: physical fitness, cognitive development, social skills, confidence and injury prevention.
By Brian Snyder January 29, 2025
Pediatric Movement Center (PMC) offers in person testing for children ages 2 and older to provide vital components and information related to Autism spectrum disorder through initial evaluation of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2), social emotional scales and sensory processing evaluation information.
Show More
Share by: