Watch the video below that reviews deep breathing:

Initially, focus only on having your child slow down their breathing by having your child do the following steps:

• Step 1: Get into a comfortable position
• Step 2: Take a BIG breathe slowly through the nose and count to three while breathing in
• Step 3: Hold briefly for a moment
• Step 4: Blow the air out slowly through the mouth
• Step 5: Repeat for one minute

If your child feels dizzy, light-headed, or uncomfortable, STOP and breath normally.

After your child is able to slow down their breathing, they can start to focus on moving their belly with breathing:

• Step 1: Begin by starting exercise 1
• Step 2: As they breathe in and out, notice which parts of their body move (belly or chest)
• Step 3: Have them place their hands on their belly
• Step 4: Tell them to try to breathe into their belly so that it expands into their hands. In other words, they want their belly to rise up so that it lifts their hands
• Step 5: Repeat for one minute

With younger children you can have them hold their favorite stuffed animal on their belly and describe that you would like to take their friend for a ride. In order to have their friend go for a ride, they need to have their belly go up and down through their deep breathing. Have them fill their belly up by breathing in and watch their friend go up. Then slowly have them let their friend go down by breathing out.