Why breathing exercises are good for kids and parents

Breathing exercises help you and your child learn to breathe slowly and deeply. Breathing slowly and deeply can help you relax and feel calm.

When you’re calm and relaxed, it’s good for your overall wellbeing. Feeling calm also helps you use good judgment and make better decisions, especially in stressful situations.

Why does deep breathing help you feel calm?

Breathing deeply sends messages to the parts of your brain involved in managing behaviour, thoughts and feelings. These messages tell your body to calm down and relax.

What you need for this breathing exercise

To do this breathing exercise, you need just one minute and a quiet, calm space where you won’t be interrupted. You can do the exercise outside if you can find a quiet space.

It’s also good to give yourself time and space to practise this exercise regularly. With daily practice these breathing exercises will get easier. They’ll also work better and come more naturally in stressful situations. That’s because your mind and body are more familiar with calming down and relaxing.

This breathing exercise can be done alone, or you and your child can do it together.

How to breathe for relaxation: basic steps

1. Sit comfortably with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Slowly breathe in through your nose.
4. As you breathe in, notice your chest filling up with air. Notice your shoulders rising and your tummy expanding. You can place your hands on your chest to feel these movements.
5. When you feel that your lungs are full, hold the breath. Focus on the feeling of fullness in your chest and tummy.
6. Now slowly breathe out through your mouth.
7. As you breathe out, notice your chest emptying and your shoulders dropping. Notice your tummy relaxing.
8. Repeat this exercise another 2 times (3 times in total).
9. Return to your normal breathing pattern.

If you still feel tense or anxious, do the exercise again.

Options for breathing exercises

These options for breathing exercises need just 1-2 minutes, plus a calm, quiet space.

Breathing and stretching exercise

1. Stand up straight.
2. As you slowly breathe in through your nose, raise your arms up over your head and touch your palms together.
3. As you breathe out through your mouth, turn the palms of your hands outwards.
4. Continue to breathe out as you slowly bring your arms down to your sides while stretching out your hands and fingers.
5. Repeat the exercise until your breathing slows and you feel calmer.

Breathing and body scanning exercise

1. Close your eyes.
2. Breathe in and out slowly and deeply.
3. While you breathe, scan your body from top to bottom. Check for any tension or discomfort. You’ll probably notice that you’re feeling tension somewhere – perhaps in your neck, shoulders, chest or legs.
4. Visualise breathing slowly and deeply into the areas of your body where you’ve noticed tension or discomfort. Think of it as a warm, healing breath.
5. When you breathe out, visualise the tension or discomfort leaving your body.

How to adapt breathing exercises for children of different ages

Younger children

You might need to do it this activity with younger children or guide them through it.

Here’s a deep breathing script that can help you guide your child through the activity. Remember to speak softly and slowly, and pause after you say each step:

1. ‘Let’s sit down so we’re comfortable.’
2. ‘Close your eyes.’
3. ‘Now breathe in very slowly through your nose. Pretend you’re smelling a flower. Feel your chest filling up. Feel your tummy rising.’
4. ‘Now hold your breath. Feel how full your chest and tummy are.’
5. ‘Now breathe out slowly through your mouth. Pretend you’re slowly blowing out a candle. Feel your chest emptying out. Feel your tummy relaxing.’
6. ‘Would you like to do that again?’

Depending on your child’s concentration levels and interest, you could start with just one round of breathing and build up to 2-3 repetitions.

Older children and teenagers

Your child might like to do breathing exercises independently. Your child could:

• use a recording of the steps or script above
• make their own recording
• download a relaxation app with exercises that work for them.

How to adapt breathing exercises for children with diverse abilities

Anxiety

If your child is very anxious, it’s good for them to practise breathing exercises when they’re calm. This will help them develop confidence and skills  to do deep breathing when they’re feeling anxious.

Autism

Your child might need you to:

• repeat the instructions or break them into smaller steps
• show them what to do
• use counting to guide your child’s breathing.

High energy levels

You could suggest your child moves their whole body as they breathe deeply. For example, ask them to stretch out their arms as they breathe in and bring them into their chest as they breathe out.

Learning or memory difficulties

You might need to repeat the instructions for your child or break them into smaller steps.

Restricted mobility

Your child can do deep breathing while they’re sitting or standing.

Sensory sensitivities

It’s good for your child to practise breathing exercises in places where sensory stimulation is low, like a quiet, dim room. This will help to build your child’s skills and confidence when they’re not overstimulated.

You can also include a favourite sensory toy in the exercise. For example, your child can hold their toy and move it towards and away from their body in time with their breathing.

Props or videos could help your child breathe in and out slowly and deeply. For example, your child could smell a piece of fruit or a flower when they breathe in or blow onto a feather or piece of tissue when they breathe out.