There are many reasons why breathing exercises can be extremely beneficial for children. 

Breathing exercises are great tools for managing stress and anxiety as they slow your heart rate and avoid your body going into fight or flight mode. It means more oxygen can flow through the body and also increases your levels of endorphins. 

It is now reported that one in six 5-16 year olds have mental health issues. This is a huge increase from one in ten in 2004 and one in nine in 2007. 

Breathing exercises are just one of many tools you can use to begin to manage anxiety and stress. By creating a range of unique exercises children can engage in the practice of breath work, from ballet to superheroes, sloths to pirates and music boxes to surfers we have an exercise for everyone. 

You can practice these short breathing exercises at any time, before school and as part of your bed time routine are great times when anxiety may be starting to build. 

Here are a couple of our favourites to try out... 

1. Fairy Breathing 

Slowly close your eyes, imagine you are a fairy floating over an empty field 

Take a long inhale in and count to four 

Hold your hand out and as you exhale imagine blowing a handful 

Of pixie dust over the field 

The field is now full of beautiful flowers all different colours shapes and sizes 

2. Pirate Breathing 

Stand tall and place one foot in front of the other 

Ready to walk the plank 

Take a deep breath in and hold for four counts 

As you exhale shout AARRRGGHH 

And place your other foot in front 

Balancing as you continue to walk the plank 

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