Introduction

Belly Breathing is a simple yet powerful technique that can help students feel more calm and relaxed. This breathing exercise can be used anytime and anywhere to help children manage their emotions, reduce stress, and improve focus. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of Belly Breathing, provide a no-prep activity, and discuss related skills to support social-emotional learning in elementary students.

No-Prep Activity: The Balloon Belly Game

This activity requires no preparation or materials, making it an ideal choice for busy educators. The goal of the Balloon Belly Game is to help students practice Belly Breathing in a fun and engaging way.

Instructions:

1. Have students sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
2. Ask them to place one hand on their belly and the other on their chest.
3. Explain that they will pretend their belly is a balloon that they need to inflate and deflate.
4. Guide students to take a deep breath in, filling their belly like a balloon, and then slowly exhale, deflating the balloon.
5. Repeat this process for two minutes, encouraging students to focus on the sensation of their belly rising and falling.

After the activity, ask students to share how they feel and discuss the benefits of Belly Breathing.

Discussion Questions

1. How did your body and mind feel before and after practicing Belly Breathing?
2. When might you use Belly Breathing to help you feel more calm and focused?
3. Can you think of other situations where Belly Breathing could be helpful for you or others?
4. Why is it important to learn techniques like Belly Breathing to manage our emotions and stress levels?
5. How can practicing Belly Breathing help us become better learners and friends?

Related Skills

In addition to Belly Breathing, there are several other skills that can support students’ social-emotional learning and well-being. These include:

• Mindfulness: Encouraging students to be present and aware of their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations can help them develop a greater understanding of their emotions and foster self-regulation.
• Active Listening: Teaching students to listen attentively and empathetically to others can improve communication skills and foster positive relationships.
• Gratitude: Encouraging students to express gratitude for the people, experiences, and things they are thankful for can promote positive emotions and a greater sense of well-being.
• Emotion Recognition: Helping students learn to identify and label their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others, can support emotional awareness and empathy development.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about Belly Breathing and its benefits, it’s time to start incorporating this simple technique into your daily routine with your students. To help you get started, sign up for free sample materials to access a variety of resources and activities for teaching Belly Breathing and other social-emotional learning skills.