3 BREATHING EXERCISES FOR KIDS AND ADULTS

It is essential to take a moment in stressful situations to breathe and connect your emotions. As most of us are at home right now, it is a great time to teach your kids the importance of breath, and also do it along with them to calm any emotions you have right now.  Breathing exercises are the perfect activity to pass the time, educate your kids and to practice self-care. 

Proper breathing is good for your health, especially those with respiratory problems like asthma, useful to help you focus, enables you to connect breathing with how you are feeling and more.

A few tips whole practising breathing for the first time: 

• Practice when everyone is calm 
• Practice using nature, like smelling flowers, as it will come naturally 

Here are 3 breathing exercises you can do with your kids today: 

Belly Breathing: 

Belly breathing, also known as deep breathing, has been proven to be highly effective as both a calm down strategy and for health reasons. 

How to make belly breathing work for kids: 

• Ask your child to lay on their back 
• Ask them to close their eyes and breathe normally while paying attention to all the parts of their body that move when breathing 
• Ask them to place on hand on their upper chest and the other on their stomach 
• Tell your child to inhale through the nose and feel their belly rise and the hand on their chest should remain still. 
• Ask them to inhale for 4, hold it for 4 and exhale and watch the hand move downwards. 
• Repeat as needed 

As your child gets older, the amount of time they can hold can increase. 

Bumble Bee Breaths:

Known as Bhramari in Pranayama practice. Pranayama is the control of the breath in Yoga. This one is also fun to do with them! 

• Have your child sit comfortably with their legs crossed 
• Ask them to place their fingers in their ears and close their eyes
• Ask them breath in through their nose for a count of 4 
• Than hum out the exhalation for 4 counts. 
• Now you are a bumblebee! 

Smell the flowers

Flowers are a great way to teach kids about breathing and are an easy way to help your child practice regularly because they’re easily available.

• Ask your child to choose a flower.
• Tell them to breathe in through their nose for a count of four and smell the flower, then hold their breath for a count of four.
• Ask them to breathe out through the mouth.
• Repeat the exercise for five to 10 minutes or until your child feels relaxed.
• You can also tell your child to visualize an imaginary flower (“Imagine smelling your favourite flower”).

Do you have any other breathing tips or breathing exercises? Let us know in the comments below.  Check out some other self-care tips!