As the world grapples with the COVID Pandemic, there is a rise in people taking precautions. It has become necessary to be aware of all aspects of health. The importance of deep breathing has now become clear. The situation has been aggravating more than ever as the kids are becoming prone to the unknown virus. However, proper care and following the right set of breathing exercises for covid for kids could build up their capacity to prevent and fight the infection.
How does Deep Breathing Help Kids?
Deep breathing exercises for kids allow them to have an ample supply of oxygen in the bloodstream. Eventually, this allows the body to perform various functional aspects to its full capacity. There are several benefits of deep breathing, such as reduced blood pressure, a stress-free mind, more oxygen supply in the bloodstream, etc.
As per experts, the practise of deep breathing helps an individual to smoothly switch back to a calm mood during the ‘Fight or Flight responses’ of the body. Eventually, this restores the body’s hormonal balance to normalcy. However, teaching kids to practice deep breathing could be a tricky affair.
To understand this aspect, it is necessary to include deep breathing as a basic exercise for kids. Listed below are some exercises for deep breathing for kids.
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Deep Breathing Exercises for Kids Using Toys
For every kid, his/her playtime must be the best time to introduce new activities. So, involving toys and props in breathing exercises for kids could be a great way to start.
Bubble Formation
Each of us must be aware of the art of bubble formation. However, quite unknown to many, it could act as a good breathing exercise for covid for kids. Slowly blowing bubbles could be a great way to engage kids in deep breathing.
Stomach Movements
Another way to do so could be by keeping a stuffed toy or lightweight prop on your kid’s stomach. The kid can enjoy the view of the toy moving up and down with every breath as he/she engages in a deep breathing exercise.
Repeating this exercise every five minutes could be a good breathing exercise for covid. The Hoberman sphere could be another great way. The contraction and relaxation of the sphere should be coordinated with the child’s belly.
Deep Breathing using Shapes
Visual representation of things could be a great motivation for kids. Using shapes to perform breathing exercises for covid for kids, they could be conscious of their breathing patterns. Children could also learn to identify shapes consistently.
#1 Triangle Method
For beginners, this could be a great way to begin. You should start with this for light deep breathing exercises. Show your kid a triangle shape and start with the bottom. Ask him/her to breathe in until you count to three. The count of three is the cue of completion of the first side. Now, hold your breath for another three counts. This count will complete the second side of the triangle. Finally, ask the child to release the breath and exhale until the count of three. This will bring you back to the origin of completing the triangle shape.
Repeating this exercise a couple of times every 10 minutes should be enough.
#2 Square Method
Same as the triangle method, this would involve a count till four. Further, the child will need to go through the four sides of the square. The drill stays the same, Breath IN – Hold – Breath OUT – Hold. A complete deep breathing exercise by the square method will keep the lungs healthy.
You can try any other shapes based on whichever suits the best for the kid.
Deep Breathing Exercises for Kids with Numbers
These breathing exercises for COVID could be effective in improving breathing patterns in kids. It could also help them improve their grasping ability. There is a variety of breathing patterns to try in this type.
To start with, 5 – 5 – 10 is a good way to deep breathing. In this, you inhale for five seconds, hold for five and again exhale for five seconds. Another effective method is the 4-7-8 method. A routine exercise you could adapt for your kid could be the counting method. In this, you exhale and inhale alternatively. It goes as below:
Inhale for One – Exhale for Two – Inhale for Three – Exhale for Four – Inhale for Five – Exhale for Six – Inhale for Seven – Exhale for Eight – Inhale for Nine – Exhale for Ten.
Repeating this basic exercise for kids could help calm the mind as well as improve lung capacity for kids.
Imagine and Breathe!
Imagination is always a great way to begin things. This could also work in the case of deep breathing. Imagine blowing a pair of candles or the crashing of waves on the shore and their receding patterns. You can inhale for every crest and exhale for every ebb.
You may imagine grey skies, sunset, and sunrise, or simply a blue sky. You could think of a balloon or pretend to smell something delicious. This brings in positive vibes while performing breathing exercises.
Conclusion
The breathing exercises as mentioned above could be a great way to improve the lung capacities of kids. By focusing on these patterns, the kid could learn to be consciously aware of their breathing patterns. The increasing lung problems due to covid have made it necessary to stay aware and also care for your own health. The practice of these breathing exercises for kids at least once a day would greatly improve their lifestyles.
Always remember, consistency is the key. In these times where people are struggling for a minute thing, realizing their importance is essential. For more information on these topics, keep reading our blogs. The Real School Of Montessoril aims to mentor kids so that they become problem solvers through practical thinking. It aids them in clearing concepts through personalized tutoring. You can also visit the website to know more
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