How to Calm Down with Breathing: Anxiety Breathwork for Kids
Stress and anxiety among children and teens is a growing concern, but teaching them how to calm down with breathing can lead to improved mental well-being and a calmer, more focused mind.
For parents looking for fun and engaging ways to support their kids, anxiety breathwork offers a simple yet powerful solution.
In this guide, we'll explore breathwork for kids, and learn fun and relaxing exercises. Whether your child is feeling overwhelmed by school, friends, or just everyday life, these techniques can help them find peace and focus in any situation.
Understanding the Benefits of Breathwork for Kids
Breathing exercises, often referred to as breathwork, can significantly improve a child's ability to manage anxiety and stress. Kids can tap into these simple techniques anywhere to help find calm and focus.
By regularly practicing breathing exercises to relieve anxiety, children and teens can learn to manage their stress more effectively, feel more at ease in stressful situations, improve concentration, and enhance their performance in school and other activities.
Overall, breathwork promotes mental and emotional balance, fostering a sense of peace and well-being.
Fun Animal Breathing Techniques
From the roar of a lion to the buzzing of a bee, animal breathing techniques capture children's imagination and engage them in fun, effective breathing exercises. These methods make breathing exercises for anxiety enjoyable and accessible for kids of all ages.
Bear Breathing Exercise
Bear breaths are perfect for creating a feeling of peace and restfulness.
Sit comfortably: Find a comfortable spot to sit in a chair or on the floor.
Imagine: Close your eyes and imagine that you're a big, sleepy bear. You're conserving your energy as you relax and hibernate through the winter.
Inhale: Take a gentle, deep breath in through your nose, imagining the cool forest air filling your lungs.
Hold: Hold the breath gently while you count to three, just like a bear snuggled up in its cozy den.
Exhale: Then, softly exhale back out through your nose, releasing all the tension.
This bear breathing exercise is about gentle relaxation and conserving energy, helping you feel calm and peaceful.
Bumble Bee Breathing Technique
Busy bees work hard making honey, just like you work hard in school, on your chores, and at your extracurricular activities. Bumble bee breathing helps reduce your heart rate and stress level, creating a calm and soothing feeling.
Sit comfortably: Sit with your legs crossed and your eyes closed.
Imagine: Imagine that you’re a busy bumble bee, tired after a long day in the hive. If you’d like, you can gently plug your ears to help you focus on the sound of your bumble bee breaths.
Inhale: Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs with air. Smell the sweet honey that you’ve worked so hard to make.
Exhale and Buzz: As you exhale, buzz like a bumble bee humming. Feel the gentle vibrations and listen to the calming sound of your hum.
Repeat this bumble bee breathing technique several times, concentrating on the peaceful sensation of being relaxed, bumble bee with a hive full of honey.
Bunny Breathing Technique
The bunny breathing technique, or rabbit breathing, mimics a bunny's quick sniffs to increase oxygen to the brain.
Get small: Get small on the floor, like a fluffy little bunny. Kneel or sit cross legged, and close your eyes. Imagine you’re a curious bunny sniffing around the vegetable garden.
Inhale and Exhale: Scrunch up your nose like a bunny and take three quick sniffs in through your nose — “Sniff, sniff, sniff” — and then exhale slowly through your mouth, releasing all the air. Did you smell those delicious carrots?
This playful bunny breathing exercise makes it easier to calm down during stressful moments, helping you feel more relaxed and focused.
Dragon Breathing Technique
Dragon breathing helps you feel strong and powerful, like a mighty dragon.
Stand tall: Stand tall and close your eyes, imagining you are a ferocious dragon ready to unleash your fiery breath.
Inhale: Breathe in deep through your nose, gathering the fire inside your belly.
Exhale: Then, exhale forcefully through your mouth, as if you are breathing out fire.
Feel the tension melting away with each powerful exhale of your dragon’s breath. Release any remaining stress and feel more empowered and confident.
Lion’s Breath Exercise
Much like the dragon, the ferocious lion's breath exercise helps you build confidence and release anger and frustration.
Sit comfortably: To prepare, sit comfortably in a chair. Sit tall, like the mighty king of the jungle, with your shoulders back and your chest open. Place your hands palms-down on your legs, spreading your fingers wide like the powerful lion’s paws.
Imagine: Imagine you are a mighty lion in the wild, ready to let out a powerful roar.
Inhale: Take a big, deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs with air.
Exhale: As you exhale, open your mouth wide and bellow out a tremendous lion’s roar .
Feel the stress and tension melt away with each mighty howl.
This lion’s breath exercise releases physical tension and lets you confidently express big emotions in a fun and dramatic way, leaving you feeling strong and fearless.
Number Breathing Techniques
Number breathing techniques use counting patterns to regulate breathing and create a structured approach to managing anxiety. These methods are easy for kids to follow and help them find calm and focus during stressful moments.
4-7-8 Breathing
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a powerful tool for calming the mind and reducing stress. It can even help you fall asleep more quickly, or help calm your nerves before a big test or game.
Sit comfortably: To begin, sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor. When you breathe, you’ll breathe way down deep into your belly, like you’re filling a balloon in your stomach.
Inhale: 4 — Inhale quietly through your nose as you count to 4.
Hold: 7 — Hold your breath and count to 7.
Exhale: 8 — Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whooshing sound, as you count to 8.
This calming 4-7-8 breathing exercise can help you relax and manage stress and anxiety more effectively.
Lazy 8 Breathing
Lazy 8 breathing — or infinite breathing — is another deep breathing technique that helps relieve anxiety and promote relaxation for teens and kids alike.
Sit or stand comfortably: For this exercise, you can sit or stand comfortably.
Infinity: Start with an infinity symbol — a sideways figure 8. You can draw one on a sheet of paper, or just trace it with your finger in the air.
Inhale: Starting in the center of the figure 8, gently trace the infinity symbol. As you trace around the first loop (half of the 8), slowly breathe in through your nose.
Exhale: When you reach the center, slowly breathe out as you trace the other half.
Repeating this infinite breathing loop will help you feel more calm, relaxed, and focused.
Creative Shape Breathing Exercises
Shape breathing exercises use geometric shapes to guide breathing patterns, providing a visual and structured approach to breathwork for kids.
Square Box Breathing Technique
Square breathing — or box breathing exercises for anxiety — can help kids find calm and focus. This activity is named for the 4 breathing steps, which are meant to resemble a square or a box. You’re encouraged to visualize a box as you walk through the steps.
Sit comfortably: To begin, sit comfortably with your legs crossed.
Inhale: Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose as you count to 4, imagining you are tracing the first side of a square.
Hold: Hold your breath as you count to 4. Trace the second side of the square in your mind.
Exhale: Exhale slowly through your mouth as you count to 4, visualizing the third side of the square.
Hold: Hold your breath again as you count to 4, as you complete the final side of the square.
The visual aid of a square helps regulate your breathing, bringing a sense of calm and balance.
Triangle Breathing Exercises
Triangle breathing is a simple but effective technique that helps you find a calm rhythm by using a triangle breath pattern. This exercise encourages you to visualize a triangle as you breathe, creating a steady and focused rhythm.
Inhale: Sit comfortably with your legs crossed and imagine drawing the first side of a triangle with your breath. Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of 3.
Hold: Hold your breath for a count of 3 as you trace the second side of the triangle in your mind.
Exhale: Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 3, completing the final side of the triangle.
Repeat this pattern several times, allowing the visual of the triangle to guide your breathing. Triangle breathing helps you maintain focus, bringing a sense of calm and relaxation.
Simple Body Breathing Exercises
Body breathing exercises focus on engaging different parts of the body to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety. These exercises are particularly effective for kids, as they can be easily incorporated into daily routines, helping them feel calm and focused.
Belly Breathing Exercise
Belly breathing, also known as abdominal or diaphragm breathing, is a simple and effective way to promote relaxation using the movement of the diaphragm. This exercise helps calm the mind and body by encouraging deep, slow breaths.
Sit comfortably: Sit in a comfortable position with your legs crossed or lie on your back.
Inhale: Place one hand on your belly and take a deep breath in through your nose, feeling your belly rise as you fill it with air.
Exhale: Slowly exhale through your mouth, feeling your belly fall as the air leaves your body.
Repeat: Continue this breathing pattern for several rounds, focusing on the gentle rise and fall of your belly.
The belly breathing technique helps to slow your heart rate and calm your mind, leaving you feeling relaxed and grounded.
Shoulder Roll Breathing
Shoulder roll breathing combines deep breaths with gentle shoulder movements, helping to release physical tension and promote relaxation. This technique is especially useful for relieving stress and loosening tight muscles.
Sit comfortably: Sit tall in a comfortable position with your legs crossed and your arms relaxed by your sides.
Inhale: Take a deep breath in through your nose as you gently roll your shoulders up toward your ears.
Exhale: As you exhale slowly through your mouth, roll your shoulders back and down, releasing any tension.
Repeat: Continue this movement, coordinating your deep breaths with shoulder rolls for several cycles.
Shoulder roll breathing helps to relieve tension in your upper body, leaving you feeling more relaxed and refreshed.
Engaging Other Breathing Activities
Other breathing activities include a variety of creative exercises that can be easily integrated into daily routines. These techniques are designed to be fun, engaging, and effective for managing anxiety.
Balloon Breathing Exercise
Balloon breathing is a fun and simple exercise that helps you visualize filling your lungs with air like inflating a balloon.
Sit comfortably: Sit in a relaxed position with your hands resting on your belly.
Inhale: Imagine your belly is a big balloon. As you breathe in deeply through your nose, feel the balloon slowly fill up with air.
Exhale: Slowly exhale through your mouth, imagining the air leaving the balloon as it deflates.
Repeat: Continue this exercise for several rounds, focusing on the rise and fall of your “balloon.”
By the end of the exercise, you’ll feel relaxed and calm, as if you’ve let go of any tension with each exhale of your balloon breath.
Blow Out the Candles Breathing
Blow Out the Candles breathing is a great way to help calm down by imagining blowing out birthday candles.
Sit comfortably: Sit with your legs crossed and your back straight.
Inhale: Take a deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs with air.
Exhale: Imagine you’re blowing out candles on a birthday cake. Purse your lips and blow out slowly through your mouth, just like you would with a candle.
Repeat: Do this several times, each time visualizing yourself blowing out another candle.
This simple birthday candle breathing exercise helps you relax by focusing on your breath and blowing away any stress.
Feather Breathing Technique
Feather breathing is a gentle and relaxing technique that uses the lightness of a feather to guide your breaths.
Sit comfortably: Sit with your legs crossed and close your eyes.
Inhale: Imagine holding a soft feather in your hand. Take a gentle breath in through your nose, filling your lungs with air.
Exhale: Slowly exhale through your mouth, as if you are blowing the feather into the air, keeping it afloat with a soft breath.
Repeat: Continue the exercise, focusing on the gentle, calming breath that moves the feather.
The feather breathing technique helps you feel relaxed and light, just like a floating feather.
Hot Chocolate Breathing
Hot Chocolate Breathing, or hot cocoa breathing, uses the cozy, comforting imagery of sipping hot cocoa to help you relax.
Sit comfortably: Sit with your legs crossed and close your eyes.
Inhale: Imagine you’re holding a warm mug of hot chocolate. Take a deep breath in through your nose, as if you’re smelling the delicious cocoa.
Exhale: Slowly exhale through your mouth, pretending to blow on the hot cocoa to cool it down.
Repeat: Repeat this several times, focusing on the warm, comforting feeling.
By the end of the hot chocolate breathing exercise, you’ll feel warm, cozy, and relaxed — just like after sipping a sweet, delicious cup of hot cocoa.
Mountain Breathing
Mountain breathing helps you feel grounded and calm, like a tall, steady mountain.
Sit comfortably: Sit tall with your legs crossed.
Inhale: Breathe in deeply through your nose, imagining yourself as a strong, tall mountain, rooted to the earth.
Exhale: Slowly exhale through your mouth, feeling the strength and calm of the mountain as you breathe out your mountain breath.
Repeat: Repeat this breathing exercise several times, standing firm like a mountain, breathing in and out your tall mountain breaths.
Mountain breathing helps you feel strong, grounded, and peaceful, like a mountain that stands tall and steady.
Navy Seal Breathing Technique to Calm Down
The Navy Seal breathing technique is a powerful way to calm your mind and body, just like Navy Seals do in stressful situations.
Sit comfortably: Sit in a relaxed position with your legs crossed.
Inhale: Take a deep breath in through your nose for a count of 4.
Hold: Hold your breath for a count of 4.
Exhale: Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of 4.
Hold: Hold your breath again for a count of 4.
Repeat: Repeat this 4-step cycle several times.
The Navy Seal breathing technique helps you manage anxiety and stay calm, even in the toughest situations.
Pinwheel Breathing Activity
Pinwheel breathing is a fun, visual way to guide your breaths using the imagery of a spinning pinwheel.
Sit comfortably: Sit with your legs crossed.
Inhale: Take a deep breath in through your nose, imagining the pinwheel starting to spin.
Exhale: Blow out slowly through your mouth, picturing the pinwheel spinning faster as you blow.
Repeat: Continue this exercise, focusing on the pinwheel spinning with your breath.
The pinwheel breathing exercise is a playful way to calm down and have fun while doing it.
Pizza Breath Exercise
The Pizza Breath technique uses the fun imagery of cooling a hot slice of pizza to guide your calming breaths.
Sit comfortably: Sit with your legs crossed.
Inhale: Take a deep breath in through your nose, imagining a hot slice of pizza fresh from the oven.
Exhale: Slowly blow out through your mouth, pretending to cool off the pizza so it’s just right for eating.
Repeat: Repeat this breathing exercise several times, focusing on cooling the pizza.
This exercise is both fun and relaxing, helping you feel calm as you breathe in and blow out your cool the pizza breath.
Volcano Breaths
The Volcano Breathing Technique is a powerful way to release tension, like a volcano erupting.
Stand tall: Stand with your feet apart, ready to erupt like a volcano.
Inhale: Take a deep breath in through your nose, feeling the energy build up inside, just like magma in a volcano.
Exhale: As you exhale, release a big, powerful breath through your mouth, imagining the volcano erupting and releasing all its pressure.
Repeat: Repeat this exercise several times, feeling the release of tension with each volcano breath eruption.
Volcano breaths help you release stress and tension, leaving you feeling calm and refreshed.
Conclusion: Breathing to Calm Down Anxiety in Children and Teens
Breathing techniques for anxiety are powerful tools that can help children and teens manage stress and overwhelming emotions. By incorporating these exercises into daily routines, kids can develop healthy habits that promote mental well-being and resilience.
Whether using anxiety breathwork to calm down after a busy day or practicing breathwork for kids to work through stressful moments, these techniques offer simple yet effective ways to support emotional balance.
Encourage your child to explore different breathing exercises to find what works best for them, and make learning how to calm down with breathing a fun part of your daily routine. With consistent practice, these activities can help children feel more grounded, calm, and ready to handle whatever comes their way.
