Yellow Zone
When Sofia arrived at school Wednesday morning and sat down at her desk she noticed her body felt a little different. Her legs were bouncing under the table, and her fingers kept tapping on her pencil. Her heart felt like it was beating faster than usual, and she could feel her tummy doing tiny flips.
“Why do I feel so wiggly today?” Sofia thought. She tried to focus on her math worksheet, but her brain felt like it was buzzing with too many thoughts.
Her teacher, Mr. Gomez noticed Sofia was wiggling around in her chair and had not started her math worksheet. He walked over and asked gently, “Sofia, how are you feeling today?”
Sofia stopped and looked at him. “I don’t know, Mr. Gomez. My legs feel like they can’t stop moving, and my tummy feels kind of jumpy. My heart feels fast too, and I’m having trouble paying attention.”
Mr. Gomez nodded. “It sounds like you might be in the Yellow Zone, Sofia. That’s when our bodies feel wiggly, restless, or even a little frustrated, worried, or silly. Have you noticed anything else about how your body feels?”
Sofia thought for a moment. “My hands feel fidgety, like they always want to be doing something. And my brain feels like it’s going too fast, like I can’t catch my thoughts.”
Mr. Gomez smiled. “Great job noticing your body signals, Sofia. When we’re in the Yellow Zone, it’s our body’s way of saying we might need to calm down or refocus. Would you like to try a tool that could help you feel calmer and focus your thoughts?”
Sofia’s eyes lit up. “Yes, please! What can I do?”
Mr. Gomez handed Sofia a small fidget tool. “You can use this to keep your hands busy while you work. It might help your brain focus better. And if your legs still feel bouncy, I can set up a bouncy band on your chair. It will let you move your legs while you sit.”
Sofia sat down with the bouncy band on her chair and held the fidget in her hand. She rolled and squished it as she worked on her worksheet. At first, she still felt a little jumpy, but soon, her body started to feel calmer.
“How do you feel now, Sofia?” Mr. Gomez asked after a few minutes.
“My tummy isn’t so jumpy anymore, and my legs feel better because I can bounce them up and down on the bouncy band,” Sofia said with a smile. “The fidget is helping my hands, too. I think I can focus now!”
“That’s great, Sofia,” Mr. Gomez said. “Remember, when you’re in the Yellow Zone, there are lots of strategies to help. Using a fidget, a bouncy band for your feet, sitting on a wobble cushion, or even taking deep breaths can help you feel more in control.”
Sofia smiled proudly. “Thanks, Mr. Gomez. I’ll use these tools again whenever I feel wiggly or restless.”
For the rest of the day, Sofia paid close attention to her body signals and used her bouncy band and fidget whenever she needed them. She felt proud of herself for learning how to stay in control, even in the Yellow Zone!