Flower Breaths Help Kids Bloom

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Flower breaths help kids bloom! This beautiful breathing exercise encourages children to learn that just like a flower that they are unique and will bloom in their own time. Children will use their imaginations to find a colourful, scented flower and use their breath to take in the sweet smell and gently blow the petals. A lovely, relaxing activity for children to try deep breathing in a playful way.

{Related Post: Relaxing Rainbow Breaths}

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Flower Breaths Breathing Activity for Kids
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What are Flower Breaths

Flower breaths are a relaxing, nature based mindful breathing activity for kids. In this breathing activity we will use the imagination and the breath to relax the body and the mind. This healthy coping skill will give kids the opportunity to also think about the uniqueness of each flower and how they can relate this to their own unique selves.

You may like: Lion Breaths for Kids

How to take a Flower Breath

  • Share the poster from our Flower Breaths activity kit as a visual prompt. Buy Here.
  • Read and share with children the Flower Breaths rhyme: Stop and Smell the flowers. Each one a new surprise. A little joy for our noses and a little gift for our eyes

Flower Breaths Instructions

Step 1. Introduce Flower Breaths

‘We are going to practice a breathing activity called Flower Breaths. We will be using our imaginations to find a beautiful flower. What flowers do you know?’

Step 2. Relax and spark the imagination

Ask children to imagine that they are sat in a magical meadow. “As you are sat in this magical meadow, you spot something in the grass. Slowly a flowers starts to emerge from the ground. You feel very calm and happy as you watch this gentle flower appear. What colour is your flower? What shape is it? What will it smell of? You can imagine anything you like, each flower is unique just like you.”

Step 4. Notice and take a mindful moment

Now ask children to notice how their bodies feel. Can they notice their the floor beneath them? Ask them to finally lean over and pick the flower gently and slowly.’

Step 5. Breathe

“Now that you have the flower in your hands, its time to practice our flower breaths. Let’s take a big breath in and take in the sweet smell of this flower. Then as we breathe out very gently blow the delicate petals”. “Next let’s try again and this time we will blow the petals with a bigger breath and watch them float away.

Step 6. Reflect and Play

When we share, it’s an opportunity for us to connect and feel listened to. Encourage children to share their experiences and model by sharing yours too. Remember to let them know there’s no wrong answers. Here’s a list of ideas for questions you could talk about:

  • What did your flower look like? Children could draw their flowers on the ‘My Magical Flower‘ handout provided.
  • What did it feel like to blow the petals? First gently and then with a big breath?
  • What did your flower smell like?
  • Tell me what makes you unique?

A fun, mindful movement game to play at the end of this exercise is called Seeds and Flowers.

Choose one child as the “gardener”. Ask all of the other children to curl down into seeds (small balls on the floor). Once they’re down, they have to try and not move until the gardener says “time for tea“. Then they can slowly start to grow. When the Gardener says, “time for watering“. Everyone must be still. The Gardener must water anyone who’s moving and then they are out. The last flower standing is the winner.

The posters, script, colouring activity and craft are all available in our Flower Breaths Kit.

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Mindful Breathing for Kids
Shop here for the printable ‘My Book of Breaths’ activities

Explore and Play

Try out some fun activities to extend the lesson around Flower Breaths. Stories, songs, arts and crafts are all a great ways to explore this breathing activity and give kids a chance to take a flower breath.

I hope you enjoy taking a Flower Breath whether it’s for you as an adult or with your children or students! Take Care, Emma x

Relaxing Deep Breathing Posters for Children

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Relaxing Rainbow Breaths

This relaxing rainbow breaths exercise is a playful breathing technique for kids, which includes not only using the breath, but also visualisation and mindful movement.

{Related Post: Calming Leaf Breaths Activity for Kids}

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Rainbow Breathing Exercise
Shop for the Rainbow Breaths Kit here

Please be aware that this post contains some affiliate links. These are products and services that I truly love and using the link brings no extra cost to you and helps fund Calm Ahoy Kids. Thank you.

What are Rainbows Breaths?

Rainbows are both a symbol of hope and peace and are one of the most beautiful occurrences in nature. I know that when we get to see one in real life, it’s a special moment that makes us all pause and feel full of joy and gratitude. So, what a lovely way to practice mindful breathing and bringing some calm, joy and colour into our lives.

By teaching kids to breath deeply and focus their attention, this rainbow breaths exercise can benefit children by helping them to relax and be more mindful. Practicing the rainbow breathing technique is a calming coping skill, one that can be learnt and used by children to help manage emotions and deal with the stressors of everyday life.

How to Teach Kids Rainbow Breathing

  • Rainbow Breaths is a lovely, calming activity for all ages and there are two variations we practice: 1. Rainbow Tracing Breaths and 2. Rainbow Arm Breaths. One uses a visual that children trace and the other uses mindful movement. Today we will be learning Rainbow Arm Breaths.
  • Share poster from our Breaths Breaths activity kit as a visual prompt. Buy Here.
  • Share with children the Rainbow breaths rhyme: A rainbow is inside of you and guess what its inside me too. A golden sunshine, a bright blue sky. Breathe in a colour and then smile.

Rainbow Breaths Instructions

Step 1. Introduce Rainbow Breaths

‘We are going to practice a breathing activity called Rainbow Breaths, we are going to make rainbow shapes with our arms and breath in our favourite colours. What is your favourite colour?’

Step 2. Relax

Ask children to imagine that they are sat under a beautiful rainbow. ‘Look up and see the brightest colours shining from the rainbow. You feel the warm sun on your face and start to feel calm and thankful.”

Step 4. Notice

Now ask children to notice any physical sensations, feelings or thoughts.

‘No you are feeling so relaxed notice anywhere that you might feel tense in your body and how you feel. Think of something that you are thankful for. Rainbows are thankful for both the sunshine and the rain as without it they would not show all their colours.’

Step 5. Breathe

Visualise Colour. “Imagine your favourite colour. Mine is yellow, I’m going to breathe in yellow and breath out yellow. Now you try.”

Movement. “Now let’s pop our arms to the side and as we breathe in our colour, we will also bring our palms together. Then as we breathe out our colour we will lower our arms slowly. Try and concentrate on the feeling in your arms and hands”

Step 6. Reflect and Play

When we share, it’s an opportunity for us to connect and feel listened to. Encourage your child to share their experiences and model by sharing yours too. Remember to let them know there’s no wrong answers. Here’s a list of ideas for questions you could talk about:

  • What were you thankful for?
  • What was your favourite part?
  • What is your favourite colour? What did it feel like to breathe in this colour?
  • Tell me about a time you’ve seen a rainbow?

You can end Rainbow Breaths with this game:

Mindfulness Rainbow Activity
  • Activity: Feel a Rainbow
  • Aims: To practice recognising feelings and linking them to colours that make us feel positive.

Instruction for the activity:

  1. Read the ‘Feel a Rainbow’ Poem
  2. Choose a colour. Then take turns thinking of something that makes you feel happy / calm / excited that is that colour. Share with the group or in pairs, then choose another colour.
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Explore and Play

Once you’ve practiced your Rainbow breaths, you can then follow with a playful rainbow themed . It could be a story, craft project, art activity, music, dancing, singing, cooking, role play, puzzles or whatever you and your child enjoy doing together. I’ve put together a list of books and a few fun Rainbow themed activities that you could try.

Rainbow Breaths for Kids

I hope that you enjoy teaching this breathing activity to your child or even learning to use it yourself. We can have very powerful memories associated with colours, so using this activity to imagine breathing in happy colours is a great way to feel positive and relax the body.

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Lion Breaths for Kids

Lion breaths for kids is a mighty breathing exercise that encourages children to release whatever they need to. Whether this is energy, feelings or thoughts. Children will imagine that they are mighty lions and use their roaring breath to relax their bodies and minds. This breathing activity can help children to use their breath in a fun way to physically release negative thoughts and feelings.

{Related Post: Heart Breaths for Kids}

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Lion Breaths for Kids

What are Lion Breaths

Lion breaths is a mindful breathing activity, that will help kids to notice any energy, thoughts or feelings that they would like to release. They will then practice roaring like a mighty lion to manage these thoughts and feelings and in a playful, peaceful way.

You may like: Hot Chocolate Breaths – Playful Breathing for Kids

How to take a Lion Breath

  • Share poster from our Lion Breaths activity kit as a visual prompt. Buy Here.
  • Share with children the Lion breaths rhyme: Never ignore your inner roar. Let it be heard let in soar.

Lion Breaths Instructions

Step 1. Introduce Lion Breaths

‘Today we are practicing Lion Breaths. We are going to notice any energy, thoughts or feelings in our bodies and minds and release them in a fun way, so we can feel calm and peaceful.’

Step 2. Relax

Ask children to imagine that they are mighty, brave lions. ‘You are all relaxing on a big rock, feeling calm and floppy. The sun is shining down, warming your bodies, you feel it warm your legs, tummies and heads. You feel so happy and safe.’

Step 4. Notice

Now ask children to notice any physical sensations, feelings or thoughts.

‘No you are feeling so relaxed notice anywhere that you might feel tense in your body or if you have any feelings or thought that you would like to get rid of. It’s of if you don’t.’

Step 5. Breathe

Now ask children to breathe in slowly and with a mighty ‘Roar’ stick out their tongues and breathe out. They can also pose like a lion, on their knees with their hands in front. Demonstrate beforehand if new and try 2 – 3 times.

Step 6. Reflect and Play

‘Well done you’ve been amazing lions, now how do you feel? What did you like about being a lion?’

A fun game to play at the end is Sleeping Lions. Choose one child as the “keeper.” Ask all of the other children lie down on the floor in sleeping positions. Once they’re down, they have to try and not move. The “keeper” walks through the room and notices if any sleeping lions move. The “keeper” can not touch the lions. Once a lion moves, they’re tapped and need to get up and join the keepers. The last child still on the floor wins!

The posters, script, colouring activity and craft are all available in our Lion Breaths Kit.

Shop Printables
Mindful Breathing for Kids
Shop here for the printable ‘My Book of Breaths’ activities

Explore and Play

Try out some fun activities to extend the lesson around Lion Breaths. Stories, songs, arts and crafts are all a great ways to explore the topic.

I hope you enjoy taking a Lion breath whether it’s for you as an adult, with your children or students! Emma x

Breathings Activities for Children

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Heart Breaths for Kids

Heart breaths for kids is a calming, mindful breathing activity which encourages children to explore what they love about themselves. They will use their imaginations to think positive thoughts, relax their body and practice mindful breathing. This breathing activitycan help children to learn to focus their minds, increase self awareness and self esteem.

{Related Post: Birthday Cake Breaths: A Mindful Breathing Exercise for Children.}

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Heart Breaths for kids

What are Heart Breaths

Heart breaths is a mindful breathing activity, that will help us to practice showing ourselves kindness and self love. This activity gives us a chance to pause and choose a kind action (breathing calmly) and kind thought (something we love about ourselves).

You may like: Hot Chocolate Breaths – Playful Breathing for Kids

How to take a Heart Breath

  • Share poster from our Heart Breaths activity kit as a visual prompt (optional)
  • Share with children the heart breaths rhyme: I can pause and notice, my heart and my mind. Breathing in love and thinking words that are kind.

Heart Breaths Instructions

Step 1. Introduce Heart Breaths

‘Today we are practicing heart breaths. Taking a breath is choosing to be kind to our minds and bodies and giving them a chance to relax and feel calm. We are also going to think about something we love about ourselves and practice kind thoughts. So let’s start.’

Step 2. Spark the Imagination.

First, ask children to imagine that they have a warm ball of light in their hands (cup hands together and ask children to do the same). Ask the child to hold the ball of light very carefully.

‘This ball is full of love. Hold it very gently and don’t drop it!’

Step 4. Now ask children to look at their balls of light and think about something they love about themselves.

‘What colour are your balls of light? Can you feel the energy? Now that you’ve thought about what you love about yourself and charged up the balls of light with love, we will take a breath.’

Step 5. Now ask children to breathe in and bring the ball of light to their hearts, then breathe out and gently shake their hands. Repeat once more.

Step 6. Conclude and reflect

‘Well done, now your heart is filled with love and light.’

A fun game to end is to hold the imaginary ball of light and get the children to pass it around to each other carefully in a circle, they could take turns sharing what they love about themselves.

The posters, script, colouring activity and craft are all available in our Heart Breaths Kit. You’ll also find a heart breaths shape tracing breathing activity in our kit.

Shop Printables
Shop here for the printable ‘My Book of Breaths’ activities

Explore and Play

Try out some fun activities to extend the lesson around Heart Breaths, self love and being present. Stories, songs, arts and crafts are all a great ways to explore the topic.

Heart Paperchain Activity for Kids

Learning mindful breathing can help kids to develop awareness of their feelings and bodies, help to focus their minds and relax. This simple life skill is a great tool for kids overall wellbeing as they learn to manage the daily challenges in their lives. I hope you enjoy taking a Heart breath whether it’s for you as an adult, with your children or students! Emma x

Printable breathing activity for home and classroom

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Calm Heart Craft {self love and mindful breathing for kids}

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Making a simple Calm Heart can inspire and teach your child how to take a mindful breath and become aware of the things that they love about themselves. This self love and mindful breathing craft for kids, can help to develop self esteem and conversations around the importance of recognising the unique and amazing things about ourselves and expressing them in a positive way. 

Mindful Breathing Craft

What is a Calm Heart

A calm heart is a simple pipe cleaner craft, that can make us pause, be present and reflect upon the things that are special about us. A calm heart can help you to connect with your kids and understand what they feel are the things that they love about themselves.

Beyond that, making a calm heart is an opportunity to teach kids how to build their self esteem. It’s an opportunity to discus the importance of self compassion and the importance of thinking kind thoughts about ourselves and noticing when we are being critical. So, let’s give this self love and mindful breathing craft a try!

How to Make a Calm Heart

Before you get started have a conversation and discover what kind of qualities that your child appreciates about themselves. Try using our printable strengths based affirmation cards as a prompt for discussion or use the Calm Hearts free printable in our resource library.

kids self love free printable

Now it’s time to grab supplies! This fun self love and mindful breathing craft develops a positive mindset as well as kids learning to focus and pay attention in the present. Once finished, proudly display your calm hearts.

Let’s Make a Calm Heart!

  • Skill Level – Beginner: Suitable for all developmental stages.

Craft Supplies Needed for the Calm Heart

  • Pipe cleaner
  • Beads
  • Scissors (If you need to trim the pipe cleaners).
Heart Breaths Craft Activity for Kids

This calm heart self love and mindful breathing craft is a fun personalized pipe cleaner craft that can be enjoyed at home or in school. It is a visual way of practicing being present, noticing and expressing self love.

Directions for the Calm Heart

Time needed: 10 minutes.

Pipe cleaner Calm Heart Activity for Kids

  1. Twist it

    You’ll need 2 pipe cleaners to start. Simply twist the two pipe cleaners together and trim at the end if they are not level.

  2. Make Half a Heart

    Now bend your pipe cleaners in half.

  3. Add your beads

    Next pick out 3 – 7 beads. Depending on how many breaths you’d like to practice. If you choose one breath, add one bead to each half of the heart.

  4. Finish your heart shape

    Curve and bend the ends of the pipe cleaners to make a heart shape. Then secure them with a bead and fold the ends up. This can be a bit tricky, so make sure the pipe cleaner ends are level and watch out if they are a bit sharp. Younger children will need supervision with this.

  5. Finally use the Calm Heart to take a mindful breath.

    As you breath in, move a bead around one side of the heart. As you breathe out, move the other bead to the top of the heart.

Taking a Heart Breath

When taking a heart breath, children use the shape of a heart to trace the breaths. Either using the beads in this craft or their fingers. They breath in, tracing down one side of the heart and breathe out tracing along the other side of the heart.

I love to focus on practicing self love when using this activity, you can find a script for an alternative Heart Breaths activity, posters and other creative worksheets in my Heart Breaths Kit.

Related: Hot Chocolate Breaths – Playful Breathing for Kids

Kids Breathing Activity Printable

More Breathing Crafts for Kids

I’d love to hear if you try out the activity 🙂 Take Care

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9 Calming Christmas Activities for Kids

Christmas time can be a rollercoaster of emotions for kids. They are out of their normal routines, they may be staying up later and be really excited about all the Christmas festivities. Take some time to check in and practice a little Christmas calm with these 9 calming Christmas activities for kids.

In this list, you’ll find a lovely mix of calming Christmas activities for kids, including playful breathwork, mindfulness, relaxation and mindset positivity mixed with a little creativity. These lovely calming Christmas activities for kids can be weaved into your usual Christmas traditions and be used by the whole family. { Find the list below in my free printable library}.

Free Printable in my free resource library Free Resource Library

{ 9 Calming Christmas Activities for Kids}

1. Smell the Cocoa

Activity: Hot Chocolate Breaths (Mindfulness for kids using the breath and senses).

Overview: Hot chocolate breaths is one of my favourite breathing activities and the lovely thing is you could make real Christmas hot chocolates together and then practice this breathing activity. If you do make real hot chocolates you can follow on by using your 5 sensing and savouring the experience. A great way to ground yourself in the present and really appreciate the time you have together.

Either with or with out a hot chocolate. Ask Children to breathe in the warm sweet cocoa smell and breathe out to cool down the hot chocolate.

You can find our printable Hot Chocolate Breaths Kit here.

{You may like – Hot Chocolate Breaths – Playful Breathing for Kids}

2. Share a Little Candy Cane Kindness at Christmas

Activity: Candy Candy Breaths (Mindfulness for kids using the breath and senses and mindset positivity using acts of kindness).

Overview: Use candy canes as a mindfulness prop, take a candy cane breath, then share a wish of kindness and savour eating the candy cane.

Ask children to pop their fingers at the top of the candy cane and breathe slowly and they trace their finger to the bottom. Then as they breathe out they can trace their fingers back up to where they started. When then finish take turns sharing a wish of kindness to someone.

Finally, eat the candy canes, but pay attention and really savour the experience. Who can eat their the slowest with out crunching it? Use all the senses and really enjoy eating the treat. It can be easy to gobble down our food when their is so many treats to eat.

Try using my printable and making a cute Candy Cane Breaths Christmas card too!

Christmas breathing activity for kids
Candy Cane Breaths Activity

3. Relax with the Gingerbread Man

Activity: Progressive Muscle Relaxation for Kids

Overview: When we have busy times in our lives our minds and bodies can become overwhelmed. Often our bodies will be sending us a message if we pay attention. This activity helps us to recognise tense muscles in the body and relax them.

You’ll need: A ginger bread man (homemade or shop bought) or our printable activity kit and the gingerbread man story (optional).

Explain to your kids that the gingerbread man can show us how to, ‘Scrunch, Crunch and Crumble’. It’s a fun way to relax our muscles. Use the gingerbread man to get your kids to point to different areas of the body and then practice ‘Scrunch, Crunch and Crumbling’ them (tense and releasing the muscles). Practice the feet, legs, belly, arms, hands and face and then the whole body. When you are finished eat your gingerbread men and read a story.

{You can find the printable game version of the activity here}

4. Breathe like a Christmas Tree and Be a Star

Activity: Christmas Tree Breaths (Mindful, shape breathing for kids)

Overview: Try shape breathing and use a triangle shape to practice your Christmas Tree Breaths. Shape breathing is a great way to help kids to learn mindful breathing by focusing on using a shape to follow. Then think about what makes you a star!

Draw a triangle shape or use my printable Christmas Tree Breaths Activity Kit and ask children to breathe along one side, pause along the other and breathe out on the final side of the triangle.

{You may like: Teaching Mindful Breathing using Shapes}

You can find the printable activity here

Christmas Mindfulness for kids

5. Christmas Colour Hunt

Activity: Christmas Colour Scavenger Hunt (Mindfulness using the sense of sight)

Overview: Use the free printable activity sheet to take a mindful walk and discover all the beautiful festive colours around us.

Print off a Christmas colour treasure hunt sheet from the free resource library. Then ask children to either walk inside or outside and record when they spot a colour. it must be Christmas related in some way. They can write answers down, draw pictures or simply colour the square in.

6. Make some Festive Popcorn

Activity: Popcorn Popping (Positive connection for kids and mindfulness through the senses).

Overview: This is a really fun mindfulness activity for kids, which can lead to either sitting down and watching a Christmas movie together, making popcorn garlands or bagging up the popcorn as gifts for friends.

Whether you use a pan or machine, make some some popcorn together as a family. Notice how the corn kernals all look the same before they head into the popcorn machine. Then when they have all popped, get your kids to pick two out. What is similar and what is different about the two pieces of corn? How have they changed?

Then choose together what you’ll do with the popcorn. Make a garland, make popcorn bags as gifts or sit down and watch a Christmas movie or read a Christmas book and share the popcorn together. Savour this special moment that you are all getting to spend with each other.

Christmas Calm festive Popcorn

7. Decorate with Gratitude

Activity: Gratitude Garlands (Mindset positivity through Gratitude for Kids)

Overview: Make your own Christmas gratitude paperchains. This easy activity is a lovely way to practice gratitude for the things and people we are thankful for and get creative!

Simply cut strips of paper, decorate and then write something you are thankful for on each paper strip. Use the free printable in my resource library. Then link them together and hang them up. Keep a few strips spare and add to your paperchain daily on the run up to Christmas.

{You can get access to 50 free gratitude prompts for Kids in my free resource library.}

8. Christmas Colouring

Activity: Christmas Colouring (Mindfulness through using the senses and relaxation)

Overview: Colouring in is a lovely way to encourage kids to relax.

Set up some colouring pages and your child’s favourite crayons in a nice quiet place. Ask your child to pick out their colours carefully, as they colour in encourage them to notice the pen in their hands, the music playing and the smells around them.

Find some printable paperchains to decorate in my Free Resource Library

Christmas Calm Colouring

9. Shake a Snow Globe

Activity: Make and Shake a Snow Globe

Overview: Use the snow globe to calm the swirling thoughts in your mind and relax. Watching a snow globe is a festive version of a calm jar. You could even make your own with a snow globe kit. We love this one from Etsy

You make like my Easy Calm Jar Recipe {with no glitter or glue}

Christmas calm list - snow globe

I hope you enjoy this list of calming Christmas activities for kids and try out some with your kids. The beauty of all these activities is that with just a little tweak we can add these exercises into our family Christmas traditions. So have a merry, mindful Christmas and healthy, happy new year. Take Care Emma.

child and pet dog sitting beside christmas tree