Balloon Breathing — Deep Breathing Activity Kit (K–1)
Every child has watched a balloon fill up and shrink.
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About this resource
Every child has watched a balloon fill up and shrink. Balloon Breathing is a deep breathing activity kit for kindergarten and Grades K–1 that borrows that picture so young students can learn a calming breath they will remember on a hard day. It teaches belly breathing as a tool for big feelings, a Self-Management skill.
What students practice
- Breathing in slowly through the nose
- Breathing out slowly through the mouth
- Using belly breathing for big feelings
- Naming moments when a calming breath could help
What’s inside
- A teacher script with timed steps, plus a flexible outline for teachers who prefer their own words
- Breathing Technique Visual Aids: four illustrated steps (get ready, breathe in, breathe out, repeat)
- Instructions Posters with the balloon steps for your wall, in two designs
- A Feelings Chart where children circle how they felt before and after (two versions)
- Reflection Questions: eight circle-the-answer questions, so no writing is needed (two versions); 19 pages in all
A look inside
- Teacher script: “Imagine you have a magic balloon inside your belly. When you breathe in, it gets bigger. When you breathe out, it gets smaller.”
- Instructions Poster: “Repeat for a few minutes until you feel calm.”
- Reflection Questions: “Did balloon breathing help you feel better?”
How to use this balloon breathing kit
- Introduce the “magic balloon” in the belly, then show the visual aids: hands on belly, a slow breath in, a slow breath out
- Practice for about ten minutes, sitting or lying down, with four-second counts and soft music if you have it
- Talk about when the breathing could help, such as when something doesn’t go your way
- Post the Instructions Poster in your calm corner for students to use on their own
Grade fit
The balloon picture, circle-the-answer reflection and short practice suit kindergarten and first grade. Among coping skills activities, it is a quick one to teach, and these SEL activities fit calm-down units well.
Good to know
Soft music or nature sounds are optional during the practice.
Pairs well with
Pair it with a space to use it in Calm-Down Corner or try Breathing Buddy.
Questions teachers ask
How long is the lesson?
The script runs about 25 minutes in four parts.
Do students need to write?
No. The Reflection Questions are circle-the-answer, so no writing is needed.
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