What should you do when an agitated child refuses to do any breathwork or movement?

We often say, “you are the intervention”. In fact, we dedicated an entire blog post to the idea of practicing these techniques for our own self-regulation before even beginning to teach youth. But, what does that really look like in practice?

In co-regulation, the grounded adult provides the frequency to which the dysregulated youth can atune. This sounds simple, but in practice, can be quite challenging. Extreme behaviors in youth often trigger our own stress responses. This is expected and normal. However, it is at this point where we encourage the mindfulness practice to take over. Notice the child’s reaction with a non-judgemental lens, and choose another response from your toolkit.

The Hoberman Sphere is the way we begin to teach Belly Breathing, our introductory breath. This tool and breathing strategy is a great resource for self-regulation. The idea is that this practice becomes so engrained that its response becomes second nature. It is important to note, that these strategies should first be introduced when the child is not agitated. Find the lesson plan in our Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Let’s paint a scenario. A student enters the office in an extremely agitated state. He has “flipped his lid” and is not accessing his “thinking brain”. You offer releasing breaths or other strategies that you have practiced before, but nothing seems to be resonating. Instead, he is only becoming more agitated. At this point, you pick up the Hoberman Sphere off of your desk. You begin to do deep belly breathing, even counting the breaths along the way. By the time you get to ten breaths, you notice that the volume in the student’s voice has dropped and his body is starting to still. A this point, you could invite him to practicipate in the strategies again as you continue your deep breathing.

In this scenario, not only does Belly Breathing keep you in a calm, relaxed, alert state, but it serves as a model for desired behavior. You, as the regulated adult, are simply holding space for however the youth is showing up. While creating mindful spaces through color and decor are important, the real work begins by creating the mindful space within yourself. It is this space that will set the tone and energy for the youth you serve.

On a personal note, I’d also like to share how this strategy plays out at home with my own children.

My three year old was just finishing his first week of preschool. Emotional and physical exhaustion were at a maximum. Right before bed, an epic tantrum erupted. I recognized that he had “flipped his lid” and was operating in his lower brain. No amount of talking was going to turn the ship around. I brought out the breathing ball and asked, “Should we do some breathing?” The response was a resounding “NO” as he pushed the ball away.

At this point, I could have walked away, tried to persuade him into getting into bed or worse, forcefully put him into bed. However, I know the power of co-regulation. I brought out tools readily accessible in his bedroom, with which he was already familiar, the Hoberman Sphere and Essential Oils. Within three and half minutes I had completely redirected his behavior. To see the full video, visit our YouTube.

We’re not expected to be perfect. These strategies can be difficult to remember in times of turmoil and don’t always turn around each situation. However, knowing that these tools and strategies are available can make difficult situations seem much more manageable. The most powerful part of this work is sharing with youth, that our brains and bodies always have another chance to try again with a different response.

Have you ever had a successful co-regulation experience? What has worked well for you? Leave a comment!

Be Well,

Stephanie Kennelly

What is the best strategy to connect with others through breath?

Back breathing from the Yoga Calm® Curriculum is the perfect partner pose to help foster empathy and compassion for others.

Before introducing back breathing as a partner pose, practice individually. Start in child’s pose, resting head on stacked fists. Practice breathing into the back, feeling the ribs expand to the ceiling. Inhale and exhale focusing on inflating the back. From this position, it is almost impossible to breath into the chest or stomach.

In the classroom setting, I would recommend using this activity only after students have built community and trust. Since back breathing feels slightly more intimate than some other partner poses, try using back drawing first to get comfortable with appropriate touch.

During back breathing, the partner gently places open hands on the other’s back. I find it helpful to discuss appropriate pressure. Too light and the effect is lost. Too heavy and breathing feels restricted.

While the physical touch is an important component of back breathing, the act of synchronizing breath can have a tremendous impact on building positive relationships. That being said, I always make this activity optional. Students can join the group with a breathing ball to match breath.

Afterwards, have students switch roles so that they can experience giving and receiving. The idea of “supporting one another” can sometimes seem abstract to young children, so having a direct experience can go along way.

As students become comfortable, there is also an opportunity to discuss anatomy. Move hands from low back, mid-back, and upper back with the directive to “breathe into the hands”. It is amazing how much surface area the lungs take up in the chest and how, with concentration, you can activate the breath in certain areas.

Back Breathing at Home

Try using back breathing at home with your children or loved ones! I love back breathing with my boys before bedtime. As I place my hands on my son’s lower back, we begin to sync long, slow breaths. I even will sometimes use verbals cues like, “inhale… exhale”. This strategy is a quick and effective way to connect non-verbally and slow down the body for sleep. I also like to use our Move Mindfully® Blend Essential Oil to encourage an optimal balanced state. View our Peaceful Parenting document for more strategies!

Have you tried back breathing? Would you use it in your classroom? Give it a try with a family member and let us know how it goes. Post a comment!

Be Well,

Stephanie Kennelly

Belly Breathing is the foundational breath to teach children.

Using the Hoberman Sphere is the best way to visually understand the components of healthy breathing. We call this deep, slow and rhythmic breathing, Belly Breathing. This format, utilizing the Hoberman Sphere, a counter and compliments is found in the Yoga Calm® Curriculum.

Here is a step by step guide about implementing (and growing) a student led breathing routine.

Step 1- Teacher Models
To begin, start by modeling breathing with the Hoberman Sphere. Inhale open, exhale close, One. Inhale open, exhale close, Two. 5-10 breaths is what is needed to transition from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic nervous system.

Step 2- Student Leaders
Then, a student steps into the role of the breathing leader and manipulates the sphere. Shortly thereafter, another student became the “counter”. The counter chooses the number of breaths (between 5-10) and also keeps count while the leader uses the sphere.

Step 3- The Chime
Next, we introduce the chime. A student rings the chime to begin the breathing routine. It takes about 20 seconds for the ring to stop, so it is a good way to settle into our bodies before the breathing ball begins.

Step 4- Glitter Jar
A great option to add in is the glitter jar. It serves as a metaphor for the body (or even for the classroom) when things are crazy, confusing and tense. A student made the observation of, “When you stop shaking the jar, its like ringing the chime! So, can I shake the jar before the chime ringer does her job?” The glitter jar serves as an extra visual (and leadership opportunity).

Step 5- Compliments
As it happens mid year, many of our routines were needing a pick me up! That is when I introduced compliments. After the breathing routine, the class would offer a compliment for each leader. It not only served as a bucket filler, but also a good reminder of our purpose. Compliments like, “You spoke with a firm but calming voice” and “You stayed grounded the entire time” made all of us smile!

But… then one day a breathing leader said, “You know, we all get compliments, but what about the rest of the class? Can I give them a compliment?” Sure. So, after the leader received a compliment they turned around and gave a compliment to someone else! (incase you are keeping score, that is eight compliments)

So, in total… that is five breathing leaders. Remember though, this routine developed organically, mostly driven by the students, and started with me simply taking five breaths with the Hoberman Sphere.

This routine grew because the students see value in the practice. They see value in taking two minutes for breathing. There is value in being involved in a community. Students will value being a leader.

The reason that this works is two fold.

It is a daily routine that happens every. single. day. We gift this time to our students. It allows us to slow down and feel the effects of breath.

Second, it serves as a “as needed” intervention. The students will say, “We need to breathe” and request the routine. Think, after an assembly. Before a test. In the middle of a big project.

Want to see the routine in action? Watch this video  for an example of what the routine looks like in a real classroom. It is 2 minutes and 22 seconds. It is about 1 minute of breathing and about 1 minute of compliments. This video was taken at the end of morning meeting right before physical education. The students were going to start roller blading… a very exciting time for our school! I was amazed that the nervous, excited energy from minutes before completely changed with the muscle memory of this routine. Note: One of my favorite parts of the video you can’t really hear. The compliment for the affirmation, “I trust myself” is, “I like how you chose ‘I trust myself’ because we are going rollerblading and it takes some balance and trust to do that”.

Have you used a breathing routine? How have your students responded? Leave a comment!

Be Well,
Stephanie Kennelly

Do you have students fighting the calming breaths?

Sometimes, allowing yourself to be calm can be kind of scary. I have found that resistant students respond best to Pulse Count. Find the cuing language on the Pulse Count card from our Move Mindfully® Card Deck. 

You’ve probably heard the old adage, “count to ten” when you are upset or angry. This breathing tool takes that to the next level. Not only are you counting (probably past ten), but you are also getting in tune with your body. You are literally feeling your body. High heart rate in gym? Good. High heart rate during a test? Bad. But here’s the good news is YOU are in control of your heart beat!

I began teaching pulse count with an overview heart and circulatory system. Then hooked them with the following activity.

Pulse Count

Take a 30 second pulse count. Record data.

Do 30 seconds of jumping jacks. Take a 30 second pulse count. Record Data.

Do 10 belly breaths. Take a 30 second pulse count. Record data.

Just looking at the raw numbers- the kids were blown away at the results. The real power here is in the recovery. With ten belly breaths, the body is able to totally self-regulate from a point of maximum exertion.

Here is a data sample:

• Starting- 40 beats
• After Jumping Jacks- 86 beats
• After Belly Breathing- 36 beats

To bring this activity into your math lesson, double the counts to find beats per minute. See the math lesson plan on our Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Later in the week I had a boy in tears on the verge of a panic attack. I told him, “Remember pulse count? You can recover. You have the power to control your body. Let’s do a pulse count together”. Getting him out of his head, counting, breathing and feeling in control, he was able to self-regulate within a minute. Almost seems magical.

Please leave a comment with ideas of how to connect Pulse Count to other science or math standards!

Be Well,
Stephanie Kennelly