10 Calming Breathing Games for Kids

Need quick ways to help your kids relax? Try these 10 simple breathing games:

1. Rainbow Bubbles
2. Dragon Breath
3. Floating Balloon
4. Ocean Breathing
5. Butterfly Breaths
6. Star Points
7. Sleepy Bear
8. Flower Sniff
9. Cloud Rest
10. Bee Hum

These fun exercises teach kids to:

• Manage stress and big emotions
• Improve focus and self-awareness
• Relax before bed or during tough times

No special equipment needed - just imagination! Practice daily for best results.

As one expert puts it: "By teaching kids breathing exercises, we're giving them a valuable tool for their toolbox."

Let's dive into how these games work and why they're so effective.

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Before You Start

Setting the stage for success is key before jumping into calming breathing games. Here's how to prep:

Create a Calm-Down Corner

Pick a quiet spot in your home for your child's breathing exercises. This space should be:

• Safe and cozy
• Distraction-free
• Filled with comfort items

Throw in some soft pillows, blankets, and your kid's favorite stuffed animals. You want a place where they feel totally at ease.

Teach Basic Breathing Techniques

Start simple:

1. Belly Breathing

Have your child put a hand on their tummy. They should feel it go up when they breathe in and down when they breathe out.

2. Counting Breaths

Tell them to count to three while breathing in, then to four while breathing out. This slows things down.

Make It Fun

Use props to jazz things up:

• Blow bubbles
• Spin pinwheels
• Use "belly buddies" (decorated rocks) to watch their breath

Practice When Calm

Introduce these exercises when your child's already chill. Stephanie Richardson, LCSW, from Children's Health℠ says:

"The more comfortable your child feels with a breathing exercise, the more likely they are to use that technique when they need it most."

Stay Safe

Breathing exercises are usually safe, but keep in mind:

• Watch young kids to avoid choking on small props
• Don't force it if your child's not into it
• Stop if they get dizzy or uncomfortable

Set Clear Expectations

Make sure your kid knows the calm-down corner isn't a punishment. It's a tool for relaxation. Kidscape Early Learning Centre puts it well:

"This is not a time-out or discipline space! It should be used as a 'reset button' for kids to check in with their feelings and thoughts, and practice self-regulation."

1. Rainbow Bubbles

Rainbow Bubbles is a fun breathing exercise that helps kids relax and breathe slowly. It's a great way to introduce young children to mindful breathing.

Here's how to do Rainbow Bubbles with your child:

1. Find a quiet spot and have your child sit comfortably.
2. Tell them to breathe in deeply through their nose.
3. As they breathe out slowly through their mouth, ask them to imagine blowing a big, colorful bubble.
4. For each breath, they can picture a different rainbow color.

You might say something like: "Take a deep breath in. Now, as you breathe out, imagine you're blowing a huge, red bubble. Watch it float away. Let's make an orange bubble next..."

This exercise helps kids focus on their breathing while using their imagination. Rachel Tomlinson, a psychologist and author, agrees:

"Blow Out the Candles" and "Bubble Breaths" techniques are activities for calm breathing.

Rainbow Bubbles has some great benefits:

• It slows down breathing
• It helps kids focus
• It can reduce stress

To make it even more fun, you could use a bubble wand without soap. This can help younger kids visualize the bubbles better.

Try to make Rainbow Bubbles a regular activity, not just for stressful times. As Child & Family Development points out:

"When blowing bubbles, we breathe in and purse our lips and breathe out slowly."

2. Dragon Breath

Dragon Breath is a fun breathing exercise that helps kids manage emotions using their imagination. It's all about taking slow, deep breaths while pretending to be gentle dragons.

Here's how to do Dragon Breath with your kid:

1. Find a comfy spot to sit or kneel
2. Ask them to imagine they're a friendly dragon with a warm belly fire
3. Have them breathe in deeply through their nose
4. Tell them to breathe out forcefully through their mouth, making a soft "ha" sound

Do this 3-5 times, or more if needed. The long exhale is key - it tells the body to relax.

Karen Young, who wrote "Hey Warrior", says:

"Dragon Breath is a fun way to be the boss of your brain."

Dragon Breath helps kids in a few ways:

• It cuts down stress by lowering heart rate and blood pressure
• It helps manage big feelings like anger or worry
• It improves focus by combining breath control and imagination

Want to make it more fun? Try these:

• Raise and lower arms like dragon wings while breathing
• Add a soft roar on the exhale
• Make it a family activity by doing it together

Dr. Bryan Bruno, who runs Mid City TMS, points out:

"Meditation is one of the healthiest activities that a parent can do with their child."

Teach Dragon Breath when your kid is calm. This way, they'll know how to use it when they're stressed or angry. You could even make it part of bedtime to help them relax before sleep.

3. Floating Balloon

The Floating Balloon exercise is a fun way to help kids practice deep breathing and relaxation. It uses imagination to make breathing more interesting for children.

Here's how to do the Floating Balloon exercise with your child:

1. Have your child sit comfortably in a quiet place.
2. Tell them to imagine holding a colorful balloon.
3. Ask them to breathe in deeply through their nose, picturing the balloon slowly getting bigger.
4. When they breathe out through their mouth, they should imagine the balloon floating up into the air.
5. Do this 3-5 times, or as long as your child wants to keep going.

This exercise helps kids in a few ways:

• It improves focus by having them concentrate on the imaginary balloon.
• It reduces stress through deep breathing.
• It helps kids become more aware of their breathing and how their body feels.

To make it more fun, you can:

• Use different colors for each breath, making a rainbow of balloons.
• Have your child move their arms like the balloon is floating up.
• For younger kids, use a real (but not inflated) balloon to help them visualize.

Sydney Thorson, OTR/L, an Occupational Therapist, says:

"Breathing exercises are a coping tool to support relaxation."

It's best to teach this exercise when your child is already calm. This way, they'll learn it better and remember it when they're stressed.

Calm Ahoy Kids suggests starting the exercise like this:

"Imagine that you are holding a brightly coloured balloon between your hands, as it fills with air your hands expand and as the air deflates from the balloon your hands get closer, that's how our bellies will feel."

4. Ocean Breathing

Ocean Breathing mimics the sound and movement of ocean waves to help kids create steady breathing patterns. It's a simple yet effective way to promote relaxation, focus, and self-awareness.

Here's how to do Ocean Breathing with your child:

1. Get comfy (sitting or lying down)
2. Close eyes and picture a peaceful ocean
3. Breathe in deeply through the nose (wave rising)
4. Exhale slowly through the mouth with a "whoosh" sound (wave receding)
5. Keep going for 3-5 minutes

To make it more fun, try using ocean pictures or wave sounds.

Karen, an author and yoga teacher, says:

"The gentle breath of the sea is constant, rising and falling in an eternal rhythm. It makes me feel quiet and secure."

Ocean Breathing (also called Ujjayi Breath in yoga) can help kids:

• Chill out when stressed
• Focus better
• Handle big feelings
• Feel calm and happy

Get your child to really picture the ocean scene. What color is the water? How does the sand feel? Is the sun warm? This helps them relax even more.

For little ones, keep it simple: "Breathe in like a big wave, then whoosh out like a wave on the sand."

Do Ocean Breathing every day, maybe before bed or when switching activities. The more they practice, the easier it'll be for them to use when they're feeling overwhelmed.

Karen adds:

"Ocean breathing slows down the breath and encourages you to focus your mind on your breathing."

5. Butterfly Breaths

Butterfly Breaths is a fun breathing exercise that helps kids relax. It's all about matching breath to gentle wing movements. It's great for when kids need to chill out or handle big feelings.

Here's how to do it:

1. Stand with feet slightly apart
2. Pretend to be a butterfly
3. Raise arms out like wings
4. Breathe in, lift arms up
5. Breathe out, lower arms

Do this 3-5 times or until your kid feels calm.

To spice it up:

• Have your kid imagine colorful wings
• Play soft music
• Do it together as a family

Dr. Jennifer Baggerly from the University of North Texas at Dallas says:

"The most important message is for the butterfly to breathe deep."

Butterfly Breaths does a lot:

• Gets rid of extra energy
• Calms down feelings like worry or anger
• Helps kids focus
• Boosts imagination

For little ones, keep it simple. Dawn Selander, who writes about kids and mindfulness, suggests:

"Use butterfly breath to calm big physical energy. The gentle wing movements will release energy from the body leaving it feeling relaxed."

Want another version? Try it sitting down. Feet together, knees out. Move knees up and down like wings while breathing.

Make Butterfly Breaths a habit. Do it before bed or when switching activities. The more your kid practices, the easier it'll be to use when they need to calm down.

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6. Star Points

Star Points is a breathing exercise that helps kids chill out and focus. It's a mix of imagination and controlled breathing, perfect for when children need to take a breather.

Here's the Star Points how-to:

1. Have your kid sit comfortably or stand with feet slightly apart.
2. Tell them to spread their fingers wide on one hand.
3. With their other hand's index finger, they'll trace their star-shaped hand.
4. Breathe in deep when tracing up each finger.
5. Breathe out slow when tracing down between fingers.

This creates a steady breathing rhythm that naturally calms the body and mind. The tracing keeps kids zeroed in on their breath.

Spice it up with these twists:

• Imagine different colors for each star point
• Draw a big star on paper to trace
• Stick star shapes around the house as breathing break reminders

Dr. Jennifer Baggerly from the University of North Texas at Dallas says:

"The most important message is for the butterfly to breathe deep."

She's talking about another exercise, but the same idea works for Star Points. Deep breathing is the key to going from stressed to chill.

Star Points does a lot for kids:

• Sharpens focus
• Cuts down stress
• Helps handle big feelings
• Boosts body awareness

For the little ones, keep it simple. Try saying, "Let's trace our star hands and take big, slow breaths." As they get the hang of it, you can add counting or color imagination.

Do it often. Get your kid to practice Star Points regularly, not just when they're freaking out. Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer points out:

"Deep breathing helps get more oxygen into your bloodstream, opening up your capillaries, which has a physical effect on your body to help you calm down and lower stress."

7. Sleepy Bear

Sleepy Bear is a fun breathing exercise that helps kids chill out. It's like pretending to be a bear getting ready for a long winter nap. Kids love it, and it's great for bedtime or anytime they need to calm down.

Here's how to do Sleepy Bear with your kid:

1. Have them lie down comfortably, like a bear in its cozy cave.
2. Put a small stuffed animal on their belly.
3. Tell them to breathe slowly and deeply, watching their "breathing buddy" go up and down.
4. Count with them: breathe in for 3, out for 4.
5. Do this 5-10 times, helping them focus on their belly moving.

To make it more fun, you can say, "Let's breathe like sleepy bears getting ready to hibernate!" Kids love this kind of stuff.

Greg Graber, who works with kids at a school in Memphis, says:

"It was magnificent in its simplicity and in its effectiveness in getting the little kids to focus on their breathing. It calmed them down and put them into a relaxed state in no time."

Sleepy Bear does a lot of good things for kids:

• It helps them relax
• It makes them better at focusing
• It helps them deal with big feelings
• It teaches them about their bodies

Try to do Sleepy Bear every day, especially at bedtime. It's a great way to help kids wind down. One parent said reading breathing exercises from a book called "Breathe Like a Bear" really helps their kids get ready for bed.

The more you practice, the better it works. As the fit Team says:

"As you're practicing deep breathing exercises, remember that it doesn't have to be perfect, and practice makes progress."

So, give Sleepy Bear a try. It's an easy way to help your kids relax and sleep better.

8. Flower Sniff

Flower Sniff is a fun breathing exercise that helps kids chill out. It's all about using their imagination and senses to practice calm breathing.

Here's how to do it:

1. Find a comfy spot to sit or stand
2. Picture a garden full of pretty flowers
3. Pretend to hold a flower near your nose
4. Breathe in slowly through your nose, like you're smelling the flower
5. Breathe out slowly through your mouth, as if you're blowing on a dandelion

Do this 3-5 times, or until your kid feels relaxed.

Want to spice it up? Try these:

• Use real flowers or scented stuff
• Have your kid draw their imaginary flower first
• Do it outside in a real garden or park

Flower Sniff is great for kids because it:

• Helps them relax
• Makes them feel good
• Teaches deep breathing
• Gets their creativity flowing
• Helps them handle tough feelings

Stanford researchers found that deep breathing exercises like Flower Sniff can really help kids deal with stress:

"Taking a few slow, deep breaths in an everyday setting can have a significant effect on a child's stress physiology."

Kailey and Josianne from Educalme suggest using visuals:

"Trace the flower petals with your finger. Inhale when you trace a petal that says inhale. Exhale when you trace a petal that says exhale. Continue until you feel calm."

To get the most out of Flower Sniff, make it a regular thing. Practice when things are calm, so your kid can use it when they're feeling stressed. Try it in the morning, before bed, or between activities.

The more your kid practices, the better it works. As the OM Warrior Kids program puts it:

"This breath calms your mind and body."

So, give Flower Sniff a try. It's a simple way to help your kid find their chill.

9. Cloud Rest

Cloud Rest is a breathing exercise that helps kids relax. It mixes deep breathing with imagination to create a calming experience.

Here's how to do Cloud Rest with your child:

1. Have your child lie down comfortably.
2. Ask them to close their eyes and imagine they're on a soft cloud.
3. Guide them to breathe slowly and deeply.
4. Tell them to feel the cloud against their skin.
5. Ask them to picture the sky around them.

You can say something like:

"Imagine you're on a big, puffy cloud. When you breathe in, the cloud lifts you up. When you breathe out, you sink into its softness."

Stephanie Sattler, a hypnotherapist at Healing Roots Therapy, says:

"This meditation is designed to help children calm and relax their bodies and minds."

Cloud Rest can help kids:

• Feel less stressed
• Focus better
• Be more creative
• Sleep easier

To make it more fun:

• Use a soft blanket as the "cloud"
• Play quiet music
• Try it outside on a cloudy day

Lindsay Anderson, a coach who works with children, suggests:

"Have children sit or lie down with a good view of the clouds."

Doing this outside can make the experience feel more real and help kids connect with nature.

The more often your child does Cloud Rest, the better it will work. They'll get so good at it, they can use it anytime they need to calm down fast.

10. Bee Hum

Bee Hum is a fun breathing exercise that helps kids relax by copying a bee's buzz. It's a great way to calm down an excited mind and cut stress in children.

Here's how to do Bee Hum with your kid:

1. Find a quiet spot to sit or lie down
2. Take a deep breath through the nose
3. While breathing out, make a soft "hmmm" sound like a bee
4. Focus on the buzzy feeling in the lips and face

To make it more fun, you could say: "Let's play bees in a garden. Breathe in big, then buzz like a happy bee as you breathe out."

Bee Hum does a lot of good stuff for kids:

• Cuts down stress and worry
• Helps them focus better
• Gets rid of bad feelings
• Makes them feel calm and relaxed

Dr. Stephanie Sattler, a hypnotherapist at Healing Roots Therapy, says:

"This meditation is designed to help children calm and relax their bodies and minds."

Want to mix it up? Try these:

• Have your kid gently press the soft spot between their cheek and ear while buzzing
• Ask them to picture a colorful garden full of flowers
• Make it a family thing - everyone can join in

For the best results, do Bee Hum often with your child. Start with 3-4 buzzes and work up to 8-10 as they get used to it. The Art of Living says doing bee breath three to nine times every day works best.

Making These Games Work

Breathing games can help kids manage stress and emotions. Here's how to make them work:

Adjusting for Different Ages

Keep it fun and age-appropriate:

Toddlers (1-3 years): Stick to simple, playful activities. Bubble blowing is perfect - it naturally encourages controlled breathing and focus.

Preschoolers (3-5 years): Turn breathing into a game. Try a feather-blowing contest across a table. It's fun and teaches breath control.

School-age children (6-12 years): Introduce more structure. Sync breath with movement or music. Have them inflate balloons in time with a slow beat to visualize breathing patterns.

Incorporating into Daily Routines

Make breathing exercises a regular part of your child's day:

1. Bedtime wind-down: Use Cloud Rest or Sleepy Bear before sleep.
2. Mealtime mindfulness: Try a quick Flower Sniff before meals.
3. Transition times: Use Dragon Breath or Star Points when switching activities.
4. Stress busters: Teach Bee Hum or Ocean Breathing for managing big emotions.

Solving Common Problems

Hit a snag? Try these solutions:

• If your child loses interest quickly, keep sessions short. Start with 30 seconds and build up.
• If they feel silly, join in! Make it a family activity.
• If focus is an issue, use props like stuffed animals or pinwheels.

Expert Insights

Stephanie Richardson, LCSW, from Children's Health℠, says:

"The more comfortable your child feels with a breathing exercise, the more likely they are to use that technique when they need it most."

This shows why regular practice during calm moments matters. It builds the skill for when it's needed.

Making It Stick

Want to make breathing exercises a habit? Try these:

1. Create a calm-down corner with comfort items and technique reminders.
2. Use visual aids like breathing cards for younger kids.
3. Practice these techniques yourself. Show how to use calm breathing in stressful moments.
4. Be patient. As Maggie Dent, a parenting specialist, says:

"The calmer our homes and classrooms, the better our children cope, and the happier and healthier they are."

Wrap-Up

Breathing games can make a big difference in how kids handle stress and emotions. By making these fun exercises part of everyday life, parents and caregivers help children build important skills.

Stephanie Richardson, LCSW, from Children's Health℠ says:

"By teaching kids breathing exercises, we're giving them a valuable tool for their toolbox."

This isn't just for tough times. Practicing these games regularly can:

• Help kids focus better
• Make it easier for them to handle their feelings
• Lower stress levels in their bodies

Tonia Kulp, a yoga teacher at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, points out:

"Simple yoga breathing is a powerful tool in managing our emotions, energy levels, feelings and thoughts."

The key? Do it often. Make these breathing games a normal part of your child's day. You're not just teaching them a trick - you're giving them a way to take care of themselves for life.

Think about using Dragon Breath before a test, or Sleepy Bear at bedtime. These simple games can really help kids feel better.

So, why not try these games with your kids? The good effects will last long after playtime is over, helping your child grow up calmer and more in control of their emotions.