Teddy Breath Count
What you need
- a small soft toy
How to do it
- Once they're tucked in, sit the soft toy on their tummy, on top of the covers.
- Breathe in slowly through your noses together and watch teddy rise, then breathe out through your mouths and watch teddy sink.
- Count each breath out loud up to five, then let them count the next five themselves, as slowly as they like.
- On the last breath, let teddy roll gently into their arms for a cuddle.
Why it matters
A teddy riding up and down on their tummy gives a slow breath a job to do, and a reason to stretch the next one out.
What they're learning
- Slow breathing
- In through the nose, out through the mouth.
- Counting slowly
- One number for each breath.
- Settling
- A calm way to end the day.
What to look for
Notice their breaths getting longer and teddy moving more slowly.
A tip
Keep your voice low and your counting slow. If they drift off before five, that's fine too.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: three breaths, and you do the counting
Harder: make each breath out a little longer than the last, counting quietly along it
