Children can learn to notice their breath and feelings from a young age, especially when it feels like a game. Keep practices short (one to three minutes), playful and never forced.
Three practices to try
- Bubble breathing. Pretend to blow a big bubble: breathe in slowly through the nose, then blow out gently through the mouth.
- Starfish hand. Spread one hand like a starfish. Trace up each finger as you breathe in, and down as you breathe out.
- Feelings colours. Ask, “What colour is your feeling right now?” and talk about it together.
Tips for grown-ups
- Practise together; children learn by copying.
- Try it when everyone is calm first, so it is familiar when emotions run high.
- Praise the effort, not the result.
- Every feeling is okay. The aim is to notice, not to make feelings go away.
Try it now: play the calm games in our kids corner
