Helping children navigate their big feelings and find moments of calm doesn’t always require complex strategies. Sometimes, the simplest tools are the most effective, and one of the most powerful tools we all possess is our breath. Teaching kids simple breathing exercises can be a fun, engaging way to help them learn self-regulation, improve focus, and feel more grounded, especially in today’s busy world. These aren’t stuffy meditation techniques; think of them as playful games that happen to have wonderful benefits.
Why Breath Awareness Matters for Little Ones
You might wonder why we’d focus on breathing with kids. Isn’t it automatic? Well, yes, but becoming aware of the breath and learning to control it gently offers some real advantages. When children feel overwhelmed, anxious, or angry, their breathing often becomes fast and shallow. This physiological response can actually intensify those feelings. By learning simple techniques to slow down their breathing, they gain a practical, immediate way to signal to their bodies that it’s okay to relax.
Introducing these exercises early builds a foundation for emotional intelligence. It gives children a tangible action they can take when emotions feel too big. It’s not about suppressing feelings, but about giving them space to manage the physical sensations that come with them. Plus, focusing on the breath can gently pull attention away from racing thoughts or external chaos, helping improve concentration, even if just for a few moments. Think of it as giving their busy brains a mini-break.
Fun and Easy Breathing Games
The key to success is making it enjoyable. Frame these as games or silly activities, not serious exercises. Keep sessions short – a minute or two is often plenty, especially when starting out. Choose a time when things are relatively calm, not in the middle of a meltdown (though eventually, these skills can be helpful then too).
Teddy Bear Belly Breaths
This is a classic for a reason – it makes the concept of diaphragmatic breathing very visual and concrete.
How to play:
Have your child lie down comfortably on their back, perhaps on the floor or a bed. Place a small stuffed animal or a favourite lightweight toy on their belly. Ask them to breathe in slowly through their nose, imagining they are filling their belly up with air like a balloon. As they do this, the toy should gently rise. Then, ask them to breathe out slowly through their mouth (or nose), letting the air deflate from the balloon belly. The toy will gently lower. Encourage them to watch the toy go up and down as they take a few slow, deep breaths. Make it a quiet, sleepy game for the teddy bear.
Slinky Snake Hisses
This one focuses on a slow, controlled exhale, which is particularly calming for the nervous system. Plus, making a sound is fun!
How to play:
Sit comfortably, either cross-legged on the floor or in a chair. Ask your child to take a nice, comfortable breath in through their nose. Then, instruct them to breathe out slowly and steadily through their mouth, making a long, gentle hissing sound like a snake: “Ssssssssssssss”. Encourage them to make the hiss last as long as possible, really emptying their lungs gently. Repeat this a few times. You can even pretend to be slithery snakes together while you do it.
Buzzing Bumble Bee Breaths
Similar to the snake breath, this focuses on the exhale but adds a gentle vibration through humming, which many children find soothing.
How to play:
Find a comfortable seated position. Ask your child to take a normal breath in through their nose. On the exhale, have them keep their lips gently closed and hum like a busy bee: “Mmmmmmmmmmm”. Encourage them to feel the gentle vibration in their lips, chest, or head. See if they can make the hum last for the whole exhale. Do a few rounds of ‘bee breaths’ together, maybe even pretending to fly around a garden.
Flower Power and Candle Wishes
This exercise uses imagery to guide the inhale and exhale, making it easy to understand.
How to play:
Pretend you are holding a beautiful, fragrant flower in one hand. Ask your child to breathe in slowly and deeply through their nose, as if they are smelling the lovely scent of the flower. Pause for just a moment. Now, pretend you are holding a birthday candle in the other hand. Ask them to breathe out slowly and gently through their mouth, as if they are blowing out the candle flame without blowing it too hard. Repeat several times: smell the flower (inhale), blow out the candle (exhale).
Cool Down with Hot Chocolate Sips
Another imagery-based technique, perfect for practicing a cooling, slow exhale.
How to play:
Pretend you are holding a warm mug of delicious hot chocolate (or soup, or tea). First, take a slow sniff in through the nose to smell the yummy chocolate. “Mmm, smells good!” Then, because it’s too hot to drink right away, purse your lips slightly and blow out gently across the top of the pretend mug to cool it down. Take a long, slow, gentle outward breath. Repeat: smell the warm chocolate (inhale), cool it down (exhale). This encourages a longer, calmer out-breath.
Remember Consistency Over Intensity: Short, playful sessions done regularly are far more effective than long, infrequent ones. Aim for just a few minutes each day or whenever a calm moment arises. Keep it light and fun, joining in yourself is often the best encouragement! Never force a child to participate if they are resistant; try again another time.
Making Breathing Exercises Stick
Integrating these simple practices into daily life makes them feel natural rather than like a chore. You could try doing a few Teddy Bear Breaths before bedtime to wind down, or a quick round of Snake Breaths when frustration starts to bubble during homework. Maybe use Flower & Candle breaths while waiting in line or during a car ride. The goal is to make it an accessible tool they can reach for.
Model the behaviour. Let your child see you taking a slow, deep breath when you feel stressed or need a moment. You might even say aloud, “Wow, I’m feeling a bit scattered, I’m going to take three deep breaths to help myself calm down.” This normalizes the practice and shows them how it works in real life.
Keep it playful. Use silly voices, imaginative scenarios, and positive reinforcement. Praise their effort, not their perfection. “Wow, that was a long snake hiss!” or “Your teddy bear looked so sleepy rising and falling!”
Connect it to feelings. Gently start linking the exercises to emotions. “Sometimes when I feel wiggly inside, taking a few bee breaths helps me feel calmer. Want to try?” or “That was frustrating! Let’s try smelling the flower and blowing out the candle a few times.” This helps them see it as a helpful strategy for managing their inner world.
Introducing children to mindful breathing doesn’t need to be complicated. By using simple, engaging games like these, you provide them with valuable, lifelong tools for navigating emotions, finding calm, and improving focus. It’s a gentle way to empower them, one playful breath at a time, fostering resilience and well-being in a way that feels natural and fun.
