Four colours, four feelings
Tyler explains that his body moves between zones as his feelings change: blue, green, yellow and red.
Free printable social story
Zones of Regulation Social Story for Kids
- Blue: rest and recharge
- Green: ready to go
- Yellow: slow down
- Red: stop and calm down
This free 12-page printable story helps a child notice how their body feels and name the zone they are in, so they can choose a calm tool before feelings get too big.
Each zone comes with simple tools from the story, like take a break, go for a walk, take deep breaths or ask for help.
Get the free story
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Free. No payment needed.
What is inside the free PDF
Bright colours, one idea per page, and a question at the end that a child can answer every day: “What zone are you in?”
Rest and recharge
Tired or sick? Take a break, ask for a hug, think happy thoughts, draw pictures or talk about it.
Slow down
Too silly, excited or annoyed? Take a break, jump it out, go for a walk or a run, or take a deep breath.
Stop and calm down
Very sad or very angry? Take a break, take deep breaths, count to ten or ask for help.
How to use it
- First
Read it at a calm time
Read it together when your child is in the green zone, so the ideas are easy to take in.
- Then
Name the zone together
During the day, ask “What zone are you in?”, just like the last page of the story.
- Next
Pick a tool for each zone
Choose one tool from the story for blue, yellow and red, and practise it before it is needed.
Questions parents ask
What is this social story about?
It is a 12-page story that helps children with autism recognise their feelings as four colour zones and choose a tool to get back to the green zone.
Who can use it?
Parents, teachers and therapists who want to build emotional regulation skills with a child.
Can I print it?
Yes. The story is a printable PDF that works at home, in school or in therapy.
How long does it take to read?
Less than 10 minutes, so it is easy to read again whenever it is needed.
Is it free?
Yes. AutismWorks gives this story free to families and teachers.
Made by Tyler and his dad, Jody
Tyler McNamer is an autistic adult and the author of two books about growing up with autism, Population ONE and Becoming ONE. With his dad, Jody, he makes these free social stories so parents and teachers have simple words for hard moments.
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