Zones of Regulation Toolkit with Friendly Vacuum Character - Member Request!

A fun, visual, and interactive emotional regulation resource for classrooms, therapy sessions, and home learning.

This Zones of Regulation Toolkit brings feelings and self-awareness to life through a bright, friendly vacuum character who helps “tidy up” big emotions. Designed for children in early years through primary levels, this pack encourages emotional literacy, body awareness, and coping strategies in a way that feels approachable and visual.

With 16 colour-coordinated flashcards, engaging posters, worksheets, and a playdough or colouring mat, this toolkit helps children identify emotions, link them to physical sensations, and develop strategies for managing them, all within the familiar framework of the Zones of Regulation.

About This Resource

This set reimagines emotional regulation using a friendly vacuum helper, inspired by the cheerful shape of a well-loved household character and requested from one of our lovely customers, to guide children through each emotional zone.

Each colour-coded zone represents a different level of alertness and emotional state:

• Blue Zone – low energy, tired, sad.

• Green Zone – calm, focussed, happy.

• Yellow Zone – heightened, silly, worried, excited.

• Red Zone – strong emotions like anger, fear, or panic.

Children quickly learn to recognise these zones visually and emotionally, building a shared language for feelings in the classroom or home.

Features

1. 16 Zones of Regulation Flashcards

• Four emotions per zone, each card colour-coded and illustrated.

• Clear, child-friendly faces and expressions (e.g., focussed, happy, frustrated, panicked).

• Each card includes:

  • Emotion word.

  • Zone colour.

  • Visual cue or face illustration.

2. Zones of Regulation Poster

• Bright, classroom-ready poster summarising all four zones.

• Perfect for display on calm corners, therapy walls, or SEL (social–emotional learning) boards.

3. “How Do You Feel?” Creative Mat (Playdough/Drawing/Colouring/Making)

• A reusable template encouraging children to build or draw faces that match how they feel.

• Ideal for playdough, whiteboard markers, crayons and more.

• Perfect for daily check ins.

4. Four Zone Worksheets (1 per zone)

• Four interactive worksheets designed to help children personalise their own coping strategies for each emotional zone.

• Each page explores body sensations and physical clues linked to feelings, supporting self-awareness and emotional understanding.

• Written in simple, child-friendly language with clear visuals, these worksheets are perfect for primary learners and SEN settings.

Benefits

• Supports emotional literacy – Helps children identify, name, and understand their emotions.

• Encourages self-regulation – Teaches practical strategies to move between zones.

• Visual learning friendly – Ideal for visual learners, neurodivergent children (autism, ADHD), and early readers.

• Reinforces consistent language – Builds a shared vocabulary of feelings between children and adults.

• Promotes independence – Encourages self-awareness and self-management instead of external control.

• Flexible across settings – Equally suited to classrooms, counselling spaces, or home learning.

• Inclusive design – Gender-neutral character, diverse emotional expressions, and accessible wording.

• Play-based learning – Makes emotional exploration engaging through art, playdough, and drawing.

How to Use

In the Classroom:

• Start the day with a Zone Check-In using the “How Do You Feel?” mat.

• Display the Zones Poster in a calm corner or near your SEL area.

• Use the flashcards during circle time, group discussions, or roleplay.

• Encourage children to place their name or avatar in their zone each morning.

• During difficult moments, refer to the flashcards to help children name feelings instead of acting out.

In Therapy or Counselling:

• Use the body worksheets to explore where feelings are felt.

• Encourage reflection on triggers and coping strategies.

• Introduce the vacuum character as a friendly guide who “cleans up” or “tidies feelings” - reinforcing that all emotions are okay, but they can be managed.

At Home:

• Keep a poster on the fridge or bedroom wall for family check-ins.

• Encourage kids to use the playdough mat to make faces that show how they feel.

• Pair the flashcards with real-life examples (“You look a bit Yellow Zone right now, what might help you get back to Green?”).

Suggested Uses

• Primary classrooms (EYFS–KS2).

• SEN / SEND support (autism, ADHD, speech and language needs).

• Therapy and counselling sessions.

• Emotional literacy lessons or PSHE.

• Behaviour support / regulation corners.

• School counsellors, occupational therapists, or ELSAs.

• Parent–child activities at home.

This Zones of Regulation Resource Toolkit combines play, colour, and character-based learning to make emotional regulation accessible, visual, and engaging for children. The friendly vacuum mascot guides children through feelings, helping them understand that emotions aren’t “good or bad," they just need different tools to handle them. It’s designed to help children see and feel their emotions, promoting independence, empathy, and emotional intelligence from an early age.

Whether you’re an educator, therapist, or parent, this bright and approachable resource will become your go-to tool for building emotional awareness and self-regulation in a way that truly sticks.

Become a member and download today!