During a prolonged crisis, people can react with multiple emotions. When stress, fear, and anxiety are present, people can experience prolonged fight or flight reactions resulting in multiple physical symptoms like tension, headaches, stomach issues, and shakiness. This bodily reaction is normal and occurs as a way to help protect yourself. The body’s fight, flight, or freeze reaction increases certain hormones to give your body more energy, strength, and speed to protect yourself. Whether the threat is a bear standing in front of you or a stressful thought, your body reacts in the same way. Relaxation techniques can help calm the body and decrease stress. Deep breathing techniques can show your body that you are not in danger and stop the fight or flight response.
Here are some ways to teach kids deep breathing. Try practicing while in a calm mood first, when kids are stressed or having a meltdown it’s hard to focus or learn new things.
Belly Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing)
Have kids lay on their backs or sit up with their feet on the floor. Have them put one hand on their belly and one on their chest. Help them feel how slow, deep breathing makes their belly move more with their breath than their chest. You can hold pieces of paper or tissues to show kids how they flutter with each exhalation. You can also lay a stuffed animal on your child’s stomach to show them how their belly is moving.
For older kids or adults
Lay on your back or sit with your feet on the floor. Place one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Find a clock with a second hand. Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, feeling your stomach moving more than your chest. Breathe out through your mouth for 6 seconds, feeling your stomach move more than your chest. Adjust the time of each breath to do what is comfortable for you. Doing this a couple times daily for 5 minutes can hep trigger your body’s relaxation response.
Pizza Breathing
Imagine you are holding a slice of pizza. Hold your hands in front of your face in a V shape. Breathe in slowly and deeply to smell the pizza. Breathe out slowly and deeply to cool down the pizza. Do this 5 – 10 times.
Blowing Out Birthday Candles
Have kids hold up 5 fingers on one hand. Take a long, slow belly breath in through the nose. When breathing out pretend each finger is a candle. Slowly blow out the candles by putting each finger down one at a time.
Blowing bubbles
Blow bubbles to show kids how to exhale slowly using their belly. If you don’t have bubbles you can make your own by mixing 4 cups of warm water, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1/2 cup of dish soap. Bubble wands can be made by cutting 2 straws in half and taping the 4 pieces together, or by using pipe cleaners and bending the end into a circle.
You can practice in nature by stopping to smell the flowers using belly breathing, or by stopping and noticing nature while taking deep, slow belly breaths.
Resources
Alphabreaths is a fun book that shows different ways for kids to do deep breathing in an active way. This youtube video shows the majority of the book.
Belly Breathing with Elmo – 2min
Balloon Relaxation – 3min
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any mental health conditions. Rebecca Agnew, LCSW has a private practice in State College, PA.
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Check out Rebecca's post Breathing Deeply for adults