Breathing exercises develop children’s awareness of their internal state as well as helping to build their capacity for physiological regulation and supporting concentration.

Starfish Breathing 

• Make a starfish with one hand, spreading your fingers out wide. 

• Using the fore-finger of the other hand, you are going to gently trace the outline of the starfish hand in sync with your breathing. To do this, use your fore-finger to trace from the base of the thumb up to the top of the thumb as you breathe in. Then, as you breathe out, trace down the other side of your thumb.  

• Continue to trace around the outside of the remaining fingers, breathing in as you trace up a finger and out as you trace down a finger.  

• Continue this process for up to five minutes.

Breathing with a buddy 

• Choose a soft toy that you like. This will be your ‘breathing buddy’.  

• Lie down on the floor on your back in a comfortable position with your breathing buddy. Place your breathing buddy on your tummy. 

• Focus your attention on the rise and fall of your breathing buddy as you breathe in and out.  

• Continue this for up to five minutes. 

Mountain Breathing 

• Put up one hand, palm facing out and fingers spread apart, like a mountain range. 

• Using the fore-finger of the other hand, you are going to gently trace the outline of the mountains in sync with your breathing. To do this, use your fore-finger to trace from the base of the thumb up to the top of the thumb as you breathe in. Then, as you breathe out, trace down the other side of your thumb. 

• Continue to trace around the outside of the remaining fingers, breathing in as you trace up a finger and out as you trace down a finger. 

• Continue this process for up to five minutes.