23 Zones of Regulation Activities To Help Kids Manage Their Emotions

Help kids reach the green zone.

Learning to identify and regulate emotions is a big job, especially for little kids. These skills are essential for students to master in order to be successful in school and in life. Fortunately there are plenty of Zones of Regulation activities and games to help teach them how to manage their emotions.

What are the Zones of Regulation?

Zones of Regulation, a curriculum developed by Leah Kuypers, an OT and autism resource specialist, helps kids understand and learn to manage their emotions. Rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy, it is a framework that uses four colors—blue, green, yellow, and red—to help students identify their feelings and levels of alertness. The curriculum also provides strategies to support emotional regulation. Teaching students how to read their bodies’ signals, detect triggers, read social context, and consider how their behaviors impact those around them leads to improved emotional control, sensory regulation, self-awareness, and problem-solving skills.

To learn more about the Zones of Regulation, check out this unit by The Calming Corner, these resources from He’s Extraordinary, and this slideshow from the Montana CEC.

What is emotional regulation?

According to Psychology Today, emotional regulation is the ability to control your emotions and not let them drive your actions. For students, starting with emotional regulation is truly starting at the beginning of SEL skills. Before kids can listen, have empathy, or follow directions, they have to be able to manage their emotions.

Emotional regulation means being able to identify feelings, respond without overreacting, and manage changes in the environment. In addition, emotional regulation means controlling impulses, being able to calm down, and handling emotions in a healthy way. To learn more, check out What Is Emotional Regulation?

The 4 Zones of Regulation and What They Mean

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The Zones of Regulation provides an easy way to think and talk about how we feel on the inside and sorts emotions, all of which are expected in life, into four colored zones.

  • The Blue Zone represents sad, bored, tired, or sick.
  • The Red Zone represents overjoyed, panicked, angry, or terrified.
  • The Yellow Zone is worried, frustrated, silly, or excited.
  • The Green Zone is happy, focused, proud, and calm.

Zones of Regulation Activities

To help you integrate this helpful information into your classroom, here are 23 engaging Zones of Regulation activities to support the emotional growth of your students.

1. Identify feelings by giving them a color

Color wheel used for identifying emotions perched on a shelf next to a trio of plants
He’s-extrordinary/emotion wheel via hes-extraordinary.com

Being able to recognize emotions is important. This color wheel will help kids start to identify their emotions by associating them with different colors. Once they have a grasp on what emotions feel like, students can begin to learn strategies to deal with them. Check out these Zones of Regulation activities that incorporate this emotion wheel.

2. Play a round of Monster Feelings Match-Up

Colorful monster emotion cards spread out on a table
Pocket of Preschool/monster feelings cards via pocketofpreschool.com

Identifying and labeling feelings in oneself and others is a life skill that takes lots and lots of practice. One of kids’ favorite Zones of Regulation activities is Monster Feelings Match-Up. This fun game teaches kids how to identify their feelings and manage their emotions and also fosters their conversation skills.

3. Go on an emotions scavenger hunt

Poster of colorful emojis, each labelled with an emotion
Mosswood Connections/emotions scavenger hunt via mosswoodconnections.com

A super-fun activity to help students identify feelings by using emojis and their power of observation. Recently updated for at-home learners as well as whole-class Zoom lessons, check out the full lesson plan. Best for grades K–6.

4. Make cootie catchers

A template for a colorful cootie catcher as an example of zones of regulation activities
Everybody Is a Genius via teacherspayteachers.com

You know kids are going to make cootie catchers anyway, so why not make a version that helps kids review and understand the Zones of Regulation? Each color-coded corner teaches students the feelings and coping skills that go along with each zone. Best for grades 3 and up.

5. Play the Emotions Sorting Game

Colorful actions from the movie Inside Out next to an emoji card and description words for each emoji
Mom Endeavors/emotions sorting game via momendeavors.com

Linking Zones of Regulation activities to fun experiences helps kids make connections. For example, this simple Emotions Sorting Game inspired by Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out helps kids learn and explore emotions. The game is a printable download available from Mom Endeavors.

6. Make a calm-down sandwich

Construction paper ingredients for a calm down sandwich as an example of zones of regulation activities
The Corner on Character/Strategy Sandwiches via corneroncharacter.blogspot.com

When students get angry or frustrated, they can use this coping strategy to help calm themselves down. Ask them to brainstorm six things that make them happy or feel calm inside. Then, have them write down their strategies on each piece of a calm-down sandwich.

7. Play Behavior Bingo

Colorful Behavior Bingo template as an example of zones of regulation activities
Counselor Keri/Behavior Bingo via teacherspayteachers.com

Distinguish between awesome actions (like showing respect and encouraging others) and bummer behavior (like using hurtful words or goofing off during work time) with this fun version of bingo. Five awesome actions in a row = BINGO! Great for small groups or the whole class, grades 1–4.

8. Practice impulse control with this version of Candy Land

A classroom game called Candyland Impulse Control
Ashley Hughes/Candy Land Impulse Control via teacherspayteachers.com

Games are the best way for kids to learn without even realizing they’re learning! These custom-made cards go along with the standard version of Candy Land and help kids learn impulse-control skills. Best for grades K–3.

9. Make emotion-regulation spinners

A library of self regulation tools for the classroom
WholeHearted School Counseling/Self-regulation coping strategies via teacherspayteachers.com

This fun activity is a great addition to your calm-down corner. Students can pick strategies that work for them to get into the green zone and back on track. Best for grades K–5.

10. Play a round of What Zone Would I Be In if …?

One of many fun zones of regulation activities- a color coded guessing game
He’s-extraordinary via learn.hes-extraordinary.com

This free activity includes 30 cards with hypothetical situations, plus a page for sorting the cards into the zones. Read the cards and let students decide which zone they feel they would be in if this happened to them. You can ask questions about why they feel that way to encourage discussion.

11. Teach the Zones of Regulation with this fun song

This catchy tune by the fun crew at BlackBerry Jam Kids teaches kids all about the different emotions in the Zones of Regulation and strategies to get back into the “green zone.”

12. Create a sensory break center in your classroom

A colorful bulletin board with ideas to help students regulate their emotions creates the background for a student sensory break center
The Dynamic Duo/Sensory Break Center via speech-specialed.blogspot.com

Provide students with a safe place to take a break when they need to regulate their emotions. Include resources for strategies that will help them manage. For a free copy of the poster shown and tons of great ideas for what to include in the space, check out The Dynamic Duo. Best for grades K–8.

13. Stock your sensory break center with strategy cards

Colorful zones of regulation cards made in the style of pokemon
Social CJ/break cards via teacherspayteachers.com

These awesome break cards tap into a favorite set of characters: Pokemon! Each card helps students identify which “zone” they are in and strategies for managing the emotions they are feeling. Available as a PowerPoint, Google Slideshow, and also a printable PDF. Includes four cards for each of the four zones.

Source: Social CJ

14. Empower students with these contingency maps

Contingency behavior maps to help students make better choices as an example of zones of regulation activities
The Autism Helper/behavior contingency maps via theautismhelper.com

Throughout the school day, students make behavior choices (for better or worse). Use these picture maps to help students understand the consequences of making different choices. They are very effective because they illustrate the results of both desired and undesired behaviors in a concrete way. Best for students in K–5.

15. Role-play with task cards

Cards that pose what if questions to help students rehearse acceptable behaviors
Pathway 2 Success/task cards via teacherspayteachers.com

Role-play is a great activity for helping students rehearse acceptable behaviors. These task cards help students build emotional self-control by rehearsing responses to different scenarios that may trigger strong emotions. Best for grades 4–7.

16. Build emotional toolboxes

A colorful collection of different zones of regulation activities for students
Valerie Steinhardt/Zones Toolbox via teacherspayteachers.com

What can students do to regulate their emotions when they veer away from the green zone? This toolbox of activities includes a handy flip-book that’s chock-full of ideas. Each tab covers a different zone and gives students strategies to regain control. Best for students in K–3.

17. Encourage self-regulation with these desk nameplates

Nameplates for student desks that give them options for zones of regulation activities
Sunshine on a Cloudy Day/name plates via teacherspayteachers.com

Post these interactive nameplates on students’ desks to help them self-regulate their emotions and feelings by paying attention to what zone they are in. Throughout the day, students self-monitor their emotional state by sliding a paper clip along the zone boxes on the left. If students are in the yellow, blue, or red zone, they can use one of the strategies in their toolbox to help them get back to green. Each student’s toolbox will vary, depending on which strategies work best for them. Best for grades K–5.

18. Share resources with families

Color coded lists of the emotions that fall in each zone of regulation
A Heart for All Students/printables via aheartforallstudents.com

Meltdowns and emotional regulation impact the entire family. Share this blog with families to help them develop strategies with their kids at home. Full of helpful tips and valuable information, this is a great resource to help support calmer, happier kids.

19. Display information about the zones front and center

A large, colorful bulletin board that clearly displays what each color in the zones of regulation stand for
Fun With Firsties/behaviour management via northwesternkiddies.blogspot.com

Keeping the information students need front and center will help them begin to recognize which “zone” they are in and help them learn to regulate their behavior.

20. Help students identify what anger feels like

A colorful poster of an angry face surrounded by thought bubbles that describe what anger feels like

He’s-extraordinary/activities and printables via hes-extraordinary.com

Use this free printable to go through each of the anger cues with your students, and if they feel that the statement is true for them when they’re angry, have them color the word bubble red. Also get the When I Feel Sad printable at the link.

21. Create a Zones resource folder

The inside of a two pocket folder with 4 sections- red, yellow, green and blue. Each section holds popsicle sticks with emotion words written on them
The OT Toolbox/Zones of Regulation Activities via theottoolbox.com

Fold legal-size file folders to create a pocket on the bottom. Trim off the edges and use hot glue to turn the large pocket into four sections (red, yellow, green, and blue). Color and label the sections based on the Zones. Have students label craft sticks with either emotions or coping strategies to insert into the correct pockets.

22. Use a feelings thermometer

A feelings thermometer that helps kids identify the intensity of their emotions as an example of zones of regulation activities
Coping Skills for Kids/Feelings Thermometer via copingskillsforkids.com

To help kids understand the intensity of an emotion they are feeling, create a feelings thermometer. Draw the outline of a thermometer, then divide it into three sections. Label each section. For example, use slightly angry, really angry, super angry. Talk about each section and label each with what it looks like and strategies for things to do.

23. Practice self-control with bubbles

Students sit with legs crossed and hands in lap while bubbles land on them
Learning Ward Instruction/Self-Control Bubbles via learningwardinstruction.wordpress.com

This is a really fun activity to talk about self-control with kids, and it’s harder than it looks! Label a special bottle of bubbles “Self-Control Bubbles” and gather kids in a circle. For the first round, blow bubbles and allow students to pop, touch, chase, and catch the bubbles to their heart’s desire (within control). However, for the second round, tell the students that they are going to practice using self-control. Bubbles will be all around them, but the students must use their self-control strategies and not touch or chase the bubbles. Afterward, talk with kids about how it felt and how they managed to control their impulses.

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Also, to learn more on the topic, check out What Is Emotional Regulation?

These Zones of Regulation activities teach students to identify and manage their behavior and regulate their emotions.