Do your kids love unicorns? (Of course they do. Who doesn’t?) 🦄✨
If you’re looking for a fun, magical way to help them feel calmer, more focused, and better able to manage big feelings — unicorn breaths might just be your new best friend.
Let’s take a deep breath (a unicorn one!), and dive into how you can teach this sparkling relaxation skill using the Listen, Relax & Create approach.
A to Z of Kids Playful Breathing Activities
How to Teach Kids Unicorn Breaths with Molly the Unicorn
First children are invited to LISTEN to the relaxation story Molly the Unicorn and the Magical Air Balloon. Then, once children have heard about brave Molly and her magical unicorn breaths, it’s their turn. They try the breathing exercises out.
LISTEN: Teaching Kids Relaxation Skills Through Stories
You can listen to the story below or read from my printable script and kit.
RELAX – Learn to Breathe Like a Unicorn
RELAX: Mindfulness and Relaxation Skills for Kids
Teach your child how to take a Unicorn Breath:
- 🫧 Breathe in slowly through your nose. Say: “Imagine your tummy is filling up with glittery rainbow air — pink, blue, gold… whatever colors you love most.”
- 💨 Breathe out slowly through your mouth. Say: “Now blow it out gently, and imagine that your magical breath is swirling around you — like sparkly mist floating in the air.”
You can even add a visual:
Use your hands to trace big swirls in the air as you breathe out together. Make it playful and fun! Try a few breaths together and let them lead once they’ve got the hang of it.
For younger kids, you might also try Unicorn Horn Breathing, see the image below which is in my printable kit:
- Hold up one finger like a horn.
- Breathe in as you trace up the horn.
- Breathe out as you trace down.
It’s calming, easy, and helps connect the breath with movement and imagination.
After a few rounds of breathing, check in:
- “How did that feel?”
- “What color was your breath today?”
- “Did the magic swirls make you feel calm, happy, sleepy, or something else?”
This helps children build emotional awareness and language to describe how they’re feeling — an important part of emotional regulation.
CREATE – Make Your Own Unicorn Breath Art
This is where the magic gets hands-on!
Grab some art supplies (glitter, watercolors, crayons, or even just markers) and ask your child to create a picture of their unicorn breath:
- What colors did they imagine?
- What did the swirls look like?
- What feelings are in the breath?
You might end up with a sparkly masterpiece or just a happy mess of colors. Either way, they’re expressing themselves and connecting the dots between imagination, breath, and emotion.
I hope you enjoy taking a unicorn breath with your children. I love sharing these activities at home with my little one and with the children I work with. If you are a teacher, kids yoga instructor, counsellor or parent these resources are great for a calm corner, group session or one to one. I’d love to hear if you’ve found them helpful. Take care, Emma x
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