Belly Breathing for just ten minutes a day will add one more tool to your child's emotional toolbox and help them increase their attention span. Your kids will feel happier and more relaxed in 10 minutes or less, and this skill will serve them their whole life. This is an especially useful tool for parents of children who struggle with expressing appropriate levels of anger and are still learning effective methods of self expression.
For children with a longer concentration span, aim to build up to 10 minutes for this exercise.
For younger children and toddlers, even 3 to 5 breaths is magnificent. Make it fun!
Kids 10 Minute Belly Breathing Meditation
- You may sit or stand for this - it really makes no difference.
- Simply make sure you have straight backs, relaxed shoulders, and your chins tucked in a little, to relax your neck.
- If you are working with little ones, it will be more fun for them when they can see their belly moving. Place your hands on your belly - just above your belly button, and have them do a little monkey see, monkey do. You want the tips of your middle fingers to be touching lightly, as you exhale and your belly is pushed towards your back.
- As you breathe in, allow your belly to expand your fingertips will move apart.
- When you breathe out again, your belly will go back towards your spine and your fingertips will go back together.
- A variation for bringing kids awareness of their breath is to lay on your backs and place a toy on each tummy so they can watch the rise and fall of the toy.
- Another variation to the belly breath is the Balloon Breath. Have your child imagine that their belly is a balloon. Ask them the color of the balloon. Have them experience the balloon growing larger, then smaller, with each breath in, then out.
- Continue breathing together, for as long as they can hold their attention.
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