Top 9 Breathing Exercise Videos for Children

Carlo Vialu, PT, MBA, is co-creator of SeekFreaks. He loves promoting function and participation for children and youth with disabilities. Join self-regulation courses on his continuing education platform, Apply EBP. Read more about these courses after the article.

The current situation can be anxiety-inducing not just to us, but to many of children. Deep and mindful breathing is one way to combat anxiety, as I have learned oh so well from Peggy Morris’ Mindfulness Practices: From Quiet Meditation to Active Mindful Movement webinar.

So, we decided to compile our Top 9 breathing exercises on YouTube. Our favorites are those that:

1. emphasize belly breathing
2. help kids picture breathing with analogies, like balloons, a puffer fish and others

Download the PDF version of the infographics so that you can just click on the squares to start those breathing videos.

Click on this photo to download the PDF Version

Use and share this with your kids and their families!

Here are our Top 9 Breathing Exercise Videos for Children

1. Balloon Breaths with Fablefy
   • A great way to picture deep breathing. The balloon in the video inflates and deflates with inhalation and exhalation.
2. 4-7-8 Breathing video by Fablefy
   • Learn to hold that breath longer, with 4-second inhalation, 7-second hold, and 8-second exhalation.
3. Rainbow Breathing by GoNoodle
   • Do your kids love rainbows? Try this one. Children move arms up and down in time with the rainbow’s movement, while breathing.
4. Box Breathing by ABC Life
   • Do you like simple? No voice-over. Just a pink shape inflating, holding and deflating, as words on the screen guides you through breathing in, holding and breathing out.
5. Square Breathing by MyLife
   • Isn’t an aquarium relaxing to watch? Let a puffer fish guide you through square breathing of inhaling, holding, exhaling and holding.
6. Five Finger Breathing by MyLife
   • Take slow breaths as you trace your fingers up and down, pausing at each fingertip.
7. Belly Breathe with Elmo by Sesame Street
   • How about a Belly Breathing song with your breathing exercise? I learned about this one from Apply EBP instructor, Amy Coopersmith‘s Self-Management Strategies webinar. Warning: It’s catchy – and hard to get out of your head LOL
8. Diaphragm Breathing by Fablefy
   • This video starts with a discussion of stressful situations and how deep breathing can help. They have an illustration of the lungs, and diaphragm to show how deep breathing works. Perfect for your anatomy-inclined clients.
9. Body Scan Meditation by Fablefy
   • A higher level breathing exercise via a body scan meditation.

Join Carlo Vialu and other experts at these all evidence-based, all practical continuing education courses: