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Breathing techniques are a relaxation skill children can learn to regulate their emotions at a young age. Deep breathing helps children work through their emotions (angry, sad, scared...), and helps build emotional competence. And, as a bonus, taking some deep breaths with your child encourages healthy attachment between you.
Try some of these fun techniques to practice deep breathing with your child:
Bubble breath
Imagine you have a wand to blow bubbles.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
Slowly breathe out through your mouth as if you are blowing a bubble through a wand.
Repeat as many times as necessary.
Remind your child not to blow too hard, or they will pop the bubble!
Rainbow breathing
Imagine a rainbow in the air in front of you.
Move your finger from left to right to trace the rainbow as you inhale slowly through your nose.
Move your finger from right to left to trace the rainbow as you exhale slowly through your mouth.
Repeat as many times as necessary.
Soup breathing
Imagine holding a bowl of hot soup in your hands.
Slowly breathe in through your nose to smell the delicious soup.
Slowly breathe out through your mouth to cool the hot soup.
Repeat as many times as necessary.
Dragon breaths
Sit cross-legged or kneeling with your spine long.
Breathe in through your nose.
Breathe out through your mouth whispering a roar while opening your eyes and mouth wide.
Repeat as many times as necessary.
Balloon breathing
You can sit or stand up.
Place both hands on top of your head.
Begin to breathe in and out slowly. As you inhale, raise your arms above your head, like you are blowing up a balloon. When your lungs are full of air, your arms should look like a big, round balloon on top of your head.
As you exhale, slowly bring your hands back down toward your head.
Repeat as many times as necessary.