Belly breathing for kids: how to teach it in 5 minutes
Have your child put both hands on their belly, breathe in slowly through the nose until their belly pushes their hands out like a balloon, then breathe out slowly until the balloon flattens. Do five rounds together, out loud, so they can copy your pace. Practice on calm days so it's ready for hard ones.
Belly breathing is the first thing I teach any kid, and it's the one I'd keep if I could only keep one. It works from age 2, it takes a minute, and you can do it anywhere: the car, the bath, the checkout line.
How do you explain belly breathing to a child?
Kids like to know why. Try: "When we breathe in slow and out slow, it tells our body we're okay, and our body starts to relax. When you have a big feeling, you can do balloon breaths to help you ride the wave."
What are the steps?
- Put both hands on your belly.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose until your belly pushes your hands out like a balloon.
- Breathe out slowly until the balloon flattens.
- Do 5 rounds together, out loud, so they can copy your pace.
For little ones (2 to 4): put their hand on your belly first so they can feel your balloon grow.
For big kids (7 and up): make the out breath longer than the in breath, in for 4, out for 6.
What should I ask afterward?
- What did that feel like in your belly?
- Did it feel different than your normal breathing?
- When could you use this? Before bed, before something scary, when you feel mad?
Does belly breathing work for kids?
Slow breathing is one of the best supported ways to help a body calm down. In a school program that taught 585 kids ages 7 to 12 to breathe slowly, their anxiety went down (NCBI). In another, kids ages 7 to 11 who practiced slow breathing showed a large rise in heart rate variability, a sign the body is calming (NCBI). The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests breathing breaks at bedtime and around time outs (AAP, HealthyChildren.org).
It won't make every hard moment disappear, and that's okay. The goal is a tool your child knows how to reach for, so they can ride the wave of a big feeling.
When is the best time to practice?
When everyone's calm. Teach it on an easy day and tie it to something you already do, like bedtime, the car, or bath, so it becomes routine. Then in a hard moment, all you need is: "Hand on belly, one slow balloon breath together, then we'll talk."
Grownups go first. Your slow breath is the lesson they copy. If your child has a nanny, show them too, so your kid hears the same words from both of you.
Print the Belly Breathing card and stick it on the fridge.
Quick questions
What age can kids start belly breathing?
Around age 2, with a grownup doing it alongside them. Let toddlers put a hand on your belly first so they can feel your balloon grow, and keep it to a few rounds.
How many belly breaths should a child do?
Five slow rounds is a good starting point. In a hard moment, even one slow breath together helps before you talk.
Is belly breathing the same as balloon breathing?
Yes. Balloon breathing is a kid friendly name for belly breathing: the belly fills up like a balloon on the in breath and flattens on the out breath.