Parent tip
Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.
Breath Buddy
Lie down and watch your tummy rise and fall as you take deep breaths together.
Activity details
Instructions
- Lie down together on a carpet, rug, or bed
- Each place a hand on your own tummy
- Say 'Watch your hand — breathe in through your nose... your hand goes UP'
- Demonstrate a slow, visible belly breath
- 'Now breathe out through your mouth... your hand goes DOWN'
- Count the breaths together: 'That's one... two... three'
- Add imagery: 'Pretend you're blowing up a balloon in your tummy'
- After 5-6 breaths, lie still together for a quiet moment
What success looks like
A few quiet minutes together without pressure. If your child relaxes even slightly, that’s self-regulation building.
Lie on your backs together and place a hand on your tummy. Breathe in deeply through your nose — watch your hand rise — then blow out slowly through your mouth. This deceptively simple activity teaches diaphragmatic breathing in a concrete, visible way that toddlers can grasp. It's a powerful calm-down tool that you're teaching them to use independently for years to come.
Why it helps
Birth to 5 Matters identifies self-regulation as children's developing ability to regulate their emotions, thoughts and behaviour, noting that co-regulation — where adults model calming strategies — is the foundation from which children build this skill. Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering heart rate and cortisol levels. By making the breath visible through hand or toy movement, toddlers learn interoceptive awareness — the ability to notice and respond to internal body signals. This is a foundational self-regulation skill that children can carry into stressful moments independently. NHS early years guidance recognises that emotional development is just as important as physical or cognitive milestones, and it grows best through warm, consistent interactions.
Variations
- Place a small stuffed animal on their tummy instead of a hand — 'Give teddy a ride up and down.'
- Try breathing in for a count of 3 and out for a count of 5 for older toddlers.
- Use 'smell the flower, blow out the candle' as a simpler cue for younger children.
Safety tips
- If using a stuffed toy on the tummy, ensure it's lightweight and won't restrict breathing.
- Don't ask toddlers to hold their breath — this can cause dizziness or distress.
- Some toddlers find lying still difficult; sitting cross-legged with a hand on tummy works too.
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