Confidence & feelings
Teddy breathing
- Builds: Calming down with breath
- 10 min
- Ages 2–5
- Calm
- No mess
From the house
- A small teddy
- A rug or bed
How to play
- Lie down side by side and put teddy on their belly.
- Breathe in slowly and teddy goes up; breathe out and teddy goes down.
- Smell the flower (in through the nose), blow out the candle (out through the mouth).
- Take five slow breaths, then lie still and listen to the room.
Fit it to your child
- Easier: Just watch teddy ride up and down together; they don’t need to get the breathing right.
- Harder: Talk about when teddy breathing could help, like after a fall or a fight over a toy, and try it sitting up.
Words to use
- in
- out
- slow
- up
- down
- calm
Why it helps
Slow breathing calms their body, and practicing it while they’re calm gives them a tool they can reach for when they’re upset.