Square Up and Chill: Mastering Square Breathing for a Calmer You
Guided Square Breathing Technique: Learn with Video Tutorials and Bonus PDFs Including a Game Similar to Box Breathing
Dive into the world of square breathing, a straightforward yet potent breathing technique designed to combat stress, anxiety, and boost your concentration. This post will show you the ropes and even offer entertaining variations for kids to make deep breathing an enjoyable adventure.
Find yourself feeling overwhelmed? Gear up for a calmer you with this simple yet powerful technique. Let's dive in!
What in the World is Square Breathing (or Box Breathing)?
You've probably heard it called Square Breathing, Box Breathing, or 4 Square Breathing. It's all the same - an easy-peasy deep breathing technique that's sure to leave you feeling zen. Here's how it works:
Visualize a square or a box, and follow this sequence: inhale-hold-exhale-hold, all for the count of four. You may not find research papers specifically on this breathing technique, but rest assured, deep breathing is backed by a heap of studies, suggesting it can:
- reduce anxiety and stress levels
- sharpen your concentration
Gotcha interested? Here's some deep breathing research to keep things rolling:
- The Effect of Deep and Slow Breathing on Pain Perception, Autonomic Activity, and Mood Processing
- The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect, and Stress in Healthy Adults
Breathing Like a Pro: How to Practice Square Breathing
- Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, counting to four
- Pause and hold your breath, still counting to four
- Exhale slowly through your nose, again for the count of four
- Pause once more and hold your breath, this time up to four
Ready to dive deeper? Check out this video that walks you through the process. Plus, you can grab some box breathing visuals at the end of this post.
Making Square Breathing Accessible to Kids: The Kid-Friendly Version
When it comes to working with little ones or those with special needs, I've found it difficult for them to keep track of the four-count. Here's a variation of square breathing that's easier to follow:
- Breathe in slowly
- Hold your breath when you reach the circle
- Breathe out slowly
- Hold your breath when you reach the circle
- Continue the sequence
Print this adapted box breathing visual below, and you'll understand it better:
Playing the Square Breathing Game
It's time to get creative and make breathing exercises fun. Here's another take on square breathing that offers an added sensory input:
- Start at the heart and trace the square shape as you breathe in
- Hold your breath at point 1
- Exhale while you trace the next side
- Hold your breath at point 2
- Continue the sequence, stopping/holding your breath on each subsequent number until you arrive at the smile message
Gathering Materials for a Relaxing Activity
Wondering what you'll need to get started with this deep breathing game? Here's a quick list:
- Embossed cardstock in a variety of colors
- Glue
- Stickers for the numbers and the decoration motifs (arrow, heart, smile message)
Get ready to prep this deep breathing game:
- Cut four squares of different sizes (6 cm, 9 cm, 12 cm, and 15 cm) - don't worry if the measurements look strange when converted to inches!
- Glue the squares together so that the smallest one is in the center
- Stick the numbered stickers to each corner, a heart on the starting point, and a smile sticker on the smallest square
Stress-Relieving Exercises for Kids Galore!
Ready for more ways to keep the kiddos calm and collected? Here are some additional fun breathing exercises for your little ones:
- Lazy 8 Breathing
- Belly Breathing for Kids Made Fun
- Yoga Breathing for Kids: Animal Breathing
Read More to Stay Calm: Discover Even More Calming Strategies
- 60 Effective Calming Strategies
- 46 Anger Management Activities for Kids
Score Your Square Breathing Visuals (Including the Breathing Game!): Download Now
Ready to practice your newfound skills? Get all the square breathing visuals from this post by filling out the form below:
Download Square Breathing Visual Aids
Caught Your Breath, Didn't You?
There you have it - your beginner's guide to mastering square breathing and some enjoyable variations to cool your jets when stress gets the best of you or your little ones. Enjoy the journey towards a calmer you!
- Deep breathing, such as square breathing, is a health-and-wellness practice that can help reduce anxiety and stress levels, while also improving concentration.
- For children or individuals with special needs who may have difficulty following the four-count sequence, a simplified version of square breathing can be used, involving inhaling, holding, exhaling, and holding again, guided by the visual of a circle instead of a square.
- To create a sensory-stimulating square breathing exercise for children, one can trace a heart shape as they breathe in and move around the numbers on a visual depiction of the square while following the breathing sequence. This activity can be crafted using embossed cardstock, stickers, and glue.
