Deep breathing for children and teens (1428)

Snake Breath

Breathe in through your nose and pause briefly. Then breathe out slowly through your mouth while you make a hissing sound. Do this for as long as you can.

Birthday Cake Breath

Pretend to blow out the candles on a birthday cake. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Blow out strong through your mouth trying to blow out as many candles as possible. Think creatively. What flavor is the cake? What color is the frosting? How is it decorated?

Bunny Breath

Sit up tall and make “bunny paws" with your hands. Or pretend you are a bunny holding a carrot. Take quick, little sniffs through your nose like a bunny. Then, let the air all the way out through your mouth.

Hot Cocoa Breath

Imagine you are holding a cup of hot cocoa in your hands. It’s too hot to take a sip. You need to blow on it to cool it off. Bring your cup close, take a long breath in through your nose. Smell the delicious chocolate. Then slowly blow the air out through your mouth. Be sure to blow slowly so that you don’t spill your hot cocoa!

Bumblebee Breath

Breathe in through your nose and pretend you are a bee smelling a flower. As you breathe out of your mouth, make humming or buzzing bee sound. Try different ways of making the sound. Use longer or shorter, high or low sounds.

Bear Breath

Pretend you are a bear hibernating for winter. When bears hibernate, they breathe slowly in and out through their noses. Close your eyes. Take a long breath in through your nose. Then let it all the way out through your nose. Feel how cozy and safe you are in the bear cave

Triangle Breathing

Start at the bottom left of the triangle. Breathe in through your nose for three counts as you trace the first side of the triangle with your finger. Hold your breath for three counts as you trace the second side of the triangle. Breathe out through your mouth for three counts as you trace the final side of the triangle.

5 Finger Breathing

Hold out your hand with your fingers stretched out. Start at the bottom of your thumb and slowly trace your thumb around as you slowly breathe in through your nose until you get to the top. Then slowly breathe out through your mouth as you get to the bottom. Repeat until you have traced your whole hand.

Caregiver Tips for Success

• Practice makes perfect. Deep breathing is a skill that needs to be learned and practiced.
• Practice when your child is calm and relaxed. Make it fun and silly!
• Use deep breathing when you need a moment to calm. Children do what they see.
• When your child needs to calm and breathe deeply, do it together.
• Another great resource is the book: “Breathe Like a Bear” by Kira Willey

For more information: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents