Your Child Will Learn
A breathing technique to help calm down before bedtime (or anytime!)
Here’s What to Do
- At the end of your child’s bedtime routine, ask them to take a deep breath while lying down in their bed.
- Ask your child to put their hands on their belly. Take another deep breath together, and notice how your hands move as you breathe.
- Practice belly breathing together- a big breath in through your nose, holding for 4 counts, then breathing out slowly.
- Repeat a few more times together. Try to do a few rounds of Belly Breathing each night right before turning out the lights.
Put PEER Into Action
PAUSE
- Have your child lie in their bed, and lie down near them.
ENGAGE
- “How do your hands move as you breathe in? How do your hands move as you breathe out?”
- “Take a deep breath in, and hold it for 1, 2, 3, 4. As slow as you can, let the air out.”
ENCOURAGE
- If your child is having difficulty with the slow breath out, ask them to pretend they’re blowing bubbles in water or blowing out through a straw.
- “Did you know that just doing 3 slow breaths in a row can help you feel more calm?”
REFLECT
- How did belly breathing make you both feel? What are some other times you might be able to use belly breathing?
Not Quite Ready
Ask your child to do 3 slow breaths while you count them (and don’t worry about the belly part).
Ready for More
Try a Box Breath: breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, breathe out for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts.
As Your Child Masters This Skill
They will be able to use slow belly breathing to calm down before bed and anytime throughout the day
Time to Complete
5-10 minutes
Materials Needed
None