Without doing any sort of study, I think it is safe to say that during times of heightened anxiety or stress the advice given 99.99% of the time is to “just breathe.” My daughter hates when I say that and will remind me that she is breathing, “it’s automatic, Mom, it’s not like I stop!”
But the breathing we do when feeling anxious or stressed is shallow, rapid, and potentially irregular. To calm ourselves and re-regulate our internal systems, we need deep, belly breathing at longer or sustained counts. The following creative activities provide opportunities to experience breathing techniques that help to soothe.
***There is usually no need to reinvent the wheel when creating activities that teach or reinforce social and emotional learning. Many of these lessons have been in circulation for years. In fact, if a student is familiar with the activity, it provides even greater opportunity to focus on the SE skill being explored***
Visual Arts
Worry monsters
Object: To practice deep breathing
Supplies: paper, liquid watercolor or any watered down paint, straw, glue, optional googly eyes and/or markers
Process: Start by adding a generous drop of paint to the center of the paper. Use the straw to blow the paint outwards, creating a number of “arms”. Invite students to experiment with the length of the arms. Once paint is dry, add googly eyes or draw facial features.
Discussion questions: What happened to make the monster’s arms different lengths? What did you need to do to make the arms long? How did you feel while you were blowing the paint away from the center?
Bubble prints
Object: To practice sustained breathing
Supplies: paper, cup, water, liquid watercolor or food coloring, dish soap, straw
Process: Start by filling cup ⅓ full with water and then add a few drops of paint or food coloring and a few drop of dish soap. Invite student to use the straw to stir the mixture and then blow through the straw until the bubbles come just over the top of the cup. (It may be helpful to remind younger students not to “drink” the mixture). Create a bubble print by laying the paper over the top of the cup.
Discussion questions: What did you need to do in order to blow bubbles all the way to the top of the cup? Did you notice a difference in the bubbles when you used one long breath or several short breaths?
Drama
Animal breath
Object: To become aware of different types of breathing and where the breath enters and leaves the body
Supplies: none
Process: Invite students to stand in a circle and individually name an animal and the sound the animal makes. After each suggestion, invite the group to make the sound while paying attention to their breath, both the inhalation and the exhalation. Depending upon the number of students, repeat at least once around the circle or more times to ensure a variety of sounds.
Discussion questions: Which sound felt best for you? Was there an animal sound that felt funny or uncomfortable for you? How did you have to breathe differently to make a snake sound versus a cow sound? For which sound did you feel your breath low in your body? For which sound did you feel your breath high in your body?
Music
Sitting tall
Object: To recognize the difference between chest and belly breathing
Supplies: Wind instruments or just voice
Process: Have students either play or sing a note for a sustained length. Have them repeat that same note, but invite them to slouch, really curving their spines, while playing/singing. Repeat the note again, while sitting tall with a straight spine.
Discussion questions: What differences do you notice? Which way of sitting produced the better sound? Which way of sitting made it easier to sing/play? When you slouched, did you notice where your breath came from? How about when you sat tall? What felt more comfortable for you?