8 Breathing exercises for kids to reduce anxiety and restlessness from a very young age

Breathing exercises for kids can help them deal with their anxiety and establish a sense of tranquility at a young age. If children acquaint themselves with these breathing techniques, they can grow up and have lower tension levels, improved blood pressure, better immunity, and higher energy levels.

Inhaling and exhaling are natural to us, but some kids can have a problem figuring out the basics. The right breathing exercises can help children breathe properly and healthily, teach them to regulate their restlessness, and help them acquire self-control even in panic situations at a young age.

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8 breathing exercises for kids

1. The 4-7-8 technique

Breathing exercises for kids: The 4-7-8 technique (Image by Susan Holt Simpson/Unsplash)

In this method, breathe in slowly for four seconds, then hold the breath for seven seconds. This should be followed by exhaling through the mouth for eight seconds. Not only will it enhance breathing in infants, but it will also reduce a lot of stress and anxiety.

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2. Making Bubbles

Breathing exercises for kids: Making bubbles can be a great breathing exercise (Image by Braedon Mcleod/Unsplash)

Making bubbles with soapy water is an exciting task to do. Imagine blowing gently and imitating the same technique. This method calms the mind as it focuses only on breathing while blowing the bubble.

Practicing this every day with your kids can help them breathe deeply and better, and it will also make them less anxious and angry.

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3. Stuffed Toy Technique

Breathing exercises for kids with a stuffed toy (Image by Barrett Ward/Unsplash)

Take your children’s favorite toy and ask them to lie down. Slowly place it on their belly while they are lying on their back, and ask them to take a deep breath and breathe in. Move the toy gently afterward. Ask your kid to breathe out and put the toy back down on their belly.

This is not only a fun-to-do exercise with your kid and their soft toy as their workout buddy, but your kid will learn how to take deep breaths with the help of their belly, increasing lung capacity.

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4. Triangle breathing

Breathing exercises for kids via tracing a triangle (Image by Shubham Dhange/Unsplash)

This is a gif-based exercise in which you have to take a triangle in front of you. It can be a drawn shape or a Lego triangle.

Start at the bottom left of the triangle and breathe in—count to three as you move to the second side of it. Now hold your breath and count to 3 as you move along the second side. Breathe out now for three counts as you move along the edges of the final side of the triangle.

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5. Bunny breathing

Make your child imitate a bunny's breathing (Image by Pablo Martinez/Unsplash)

In the bunny breathing style, you have to inhale three times via the nose and then exhale once through the nose. If your child is an animal lover, then you can teach them the bunny breath and make them practice it every day.

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6. The Snake

Breathing exercises for kids : Breathe and hiss like a snake for enhanced breathing (Image by Pravin Bagde/Unsplash)

In the snake technique, ask your kid to inhale via the nose for a quick three seconds and then hold for a mere one second, after which they can breathe out and imitate the hissing noise of a snake, to make this exercise more entertaining.

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7. Darth Vader Breathing

The Darth Vader way of breathing for kids (Image by Tommy Van Kessel/Unsplash)

Darth Vader from Star Wars has a distinct and enjoyable breathing pattern that is easy to master. Parents can urge their children to emulate his breathing pattern by creating Vader-specific noise and imagining themselves as the character. This fun mimicking activity will enhance their breathing and help them get rid of all the anxiety and unwanted stress.

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8. Counting

Breathing exercises by merely counting (Image by Towfiqu Barbhuiya/Unsplash)

While your child is breathing, ask them to count to 3 while inhaling, and after a slight pause, they can exhale while they count to 4.

Practicing this every day can increase lung capacity and make them hold their breath for longer.

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Sometimes all you need to do is stay calm to solve any difficulty, and all it requires is to breathe slowly and steadily.