Introduction

Welcome to our Calming Corner! In this blog post, we will explore fun and engaging animal breathing techniques that help PreK students focus and calm down. Breathing exercises are an excellent way to promote Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) among young learners. We will teach you Dragon Breathing and Bee Breathing, which are both enjoyable and effective in calming the mind.

No-Prep Activity

Here’s a no-prep activity that requires no additional materials and can be easily incorporated into your classroom routine. Follow these simple steps to teach Dragon and Bee Breathing to your PreK students:

1. Dragon Breathing
   • Ask the students to wiggle their fingers like a dragon with long claws.
   • Invite them to take a big breath in.
   • Have them stick out their dragon tongue and exhale forcefully, pretending to let out their fire breath.
   • Repeat the process a few times to help the students get the hang of it.
2. Bee Breathing
   • Instruct the students to take a big breath in through their nose.
   • Keeping their mouth closed, ask them to hum or buzz like a bee as they exhale.
   • Encourage them to continue humming until they run out of air.
   • Repeat the process a few times to help the students practice this technique.

These animal breathing techniques can be used anytime students need to calm their minds and focus. Encourage them to practice these exercises regularly to enhance their SEL skills.

Discussion Questions

Use these discussion questions to stimulate further conversations about the benefits of animal breathing and other calming strategies:

1. How did you feel after practicing Dragon and Bee Breathing? Did you notice any changes in your body or mind?
2. Can you think of other animals that might have unique ways of breathing? How could we imitate them to create new calming exercises?
3. What are some other strategies you use to help yourself calm down and focus when you’re feeling overwhelmed or distracted?
4. Why do you think it’s important to learn how to manage our emotions and stay focused in the classroom?
5. How can we support each other in practicing these calming techniques and maintaining a peaceful learning environment?

Related Skills

Animal breathing techniques are just one aspect of Social-Emotional Learning. There are many other skills that can be beneficial for PreK students, such as:

• Recognizing and labeling emotions
• Developing empathy and understanding others’ feelings
• Practicing effective communication and active listening
• Building strong relationships with peers and teachers
• Developing problem-solving and decision-making abilities

Next Steps

Now that you’ve learned about Dragon and Bee Breathing, we encourage you to explore more SEL activities and resources. Sign up for free sample materials at Everyday Speech to access a wealth of tools and strategies designed to support the social-emotional growth of your students. Together, we can create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment where all students can thrive.