Using Zones of Regulation to Support Perspective-Taking and Empathy for Animals

By: Alyssa Catholdi, Lollypop Farm

At the start of this academic year, a funder challenged me to design a curriculum—aligned with New York State Science Standards—that centers on animal behavior, humane education, and the work my shelter, Lollypop Farm, does for the animals in the Rochester community. As humane educators, a significant part of our job is helping our communities understand that animals have feelings, just like we do. Similarly, just as our emotions influence how we act, the same is true for our pets.

However, that "lightbulb" moment can be a bit tricky, especially for younger or neurodiverse learners. Children with diverse learning needs often require additional support to decode nonverbal cues and/or think in abstract terms, which can make "prosocial" behaviors—such as empathy—a significant cognitive challenge. Drawing on my background in childhood special education, I had a lightbulb moment of my own: Why not bridge the gap by relating animal body language to the Zones of Regulation?

If you’ve stepped into a classroom lately, you’ve likely seen the Zones of Regulation framework. It’s a color-coded system—Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red—that helps kids identify and categorize their feelings. For kids who thrive in a concrete world, this framework is a total game-changer. Once a kid knows which Zone they are in, they are empowered to grab a "tool" from their toolbox to return to the Green Zone. Furthermore, with sufficient practice, the Zones of Regulation empowers children to recognize patterns and proactively advocate for what they need to stay regulated.

As humane educators, we want to take that one step further by linking self-regulation to animal behavior, reinforcing the vocabulary children need to navigate their own emotions while highlighting the perspective-taking and empathy needed to protect and respect the animals they love. The following lesson plan is just the start of helping the younger, neurodiverse students in our communities learn these important skills. By incorporating movement and gameplay into the curriculum, students become more engaged in the learning process. 

By bridging the gap between human self-regulation and animal behavior, we provide students with a concrete roadmap for empathy. Using the Zones of Regulation allows young learners to see that a dog’s "Yellow Zone" fidgeting or a cat’s "Red Zone" arched back are not just random behaviors, but clear communication of their needs. This framework does more than teach animal safety; it empowers children to use their social-emotional skills and recognize that every living being—whether two-legged or four—experiences feelings; ultimately creating a more empathetic world. 

To view a lesson plan that uses the Zones of Regulation, created by Lollypop Farm, click here.