Taking slow, deep breaths is one of the best ways to help your body calm down when feelings get big. When you breathe in slowly through your nose and out through your mouth, it tells your body that you are safe and helps your heart slow down and your muscles relax.
Practice belly breathing by having children place a stuffed animal on their tummy and watching it rise and fall. Teach 'smell the flower, blow out the candle' breathing. Use breathing exercises during transitions or after active play so children get comfortable with the technique before they need it during big feelings.
Deep breathing is one of the best tools you have to help your body calm down. When you breathe in slowly through your nose and out slowly through your mouth, something magical happens inside your body. Your heart slows down. Your muscles relax. Your body feels safe. It is like telling your whole body, "Everything is okay. You are safe right now."
One fun way to remember how to do deep breathing is to think "smell the flower, blow out the candle." You breathe in slowly through your nose like you are smelling a beautiful flower. Then you breathe out slowly through your mouth like you are gently blowing out a birthday candle. That is it! That is deep breathing, and it is so powerful.
Here is something important: deep breathing helps calm your body, but your feeling might still be there. You might still feel angry or sad after you breathe deeply, and that is perfectly okay! The deep breathing does not make the feeling disappear like magic. What it does is help your body feel calmer and more ready to handle the big feeling. Your body becomes more peaceful, and that helps you think more clearly.
Another wonderful thing: you do not have to breathe perfectly for it to work. Some people breathe in for four counts and out for six. Some people just breathe slowly without counting. Some people even forget to count perfectly but their breathing still helps. Any slow, calm breathing helps your body. You do not need to be perfect. You just need to slow down and breathe.
And here is a special secret: deep breathing is not just for when you are upset. You can use breathing exercises anytime! When you wake up in the morning, when you want to feel peaceful, when you are sitting quietly, when you want to feel brave before trying something new. Breathing is always with you, and it always helps. The more you practice when you are calm, the easier it becomes when you need it.