Students learn how to control their physical and mental state by practicing various breathing activities. Students also discover that breathing can either increase energy by circulating oxygen to the brain, or release excess energy or stress and invoke a relaxation response.

Release Procedure: The Great Sigh

The objective of Release is to clear stress and tension through breathing.

In preparationfor this activity, discuss with the class what a sigh means. Explain that it must be an audible sound (“huhhhh”). Without the sound it is a breath.

Tell the students:

Sit comfortably in your chair. Close your eyes.

Make a loose fist. Make it tighter; now tighter, and again so tight that you can feel it all the way up to your elbows.

Now --let go-- that feeling is the feeling of release.

You can also feel release with a sigh.

Breathe in… hold it for a second or two…. Let the air rush out of your mouth with a “huhhhh” sound. 

Place your hand at the base of your neck and do another sigh. What do you feel? (Students tend to open their eyes with this question.)
(They may say they feel buzzing, humming, tickling or vibration.)

That vibration causes the feeling of release.

 A little sigh puts the feeling of release in your upper chest.

A great big sigh can put that feeling all the way out to your fingers and toes.

Close your eyes again.

Feel your toes; find where your toes are and feel them from the inside.

Hold the feeling of your toes and feel your fingers from the inside.

Spread the feeling from your toes to your ankles and from your fingers to your wrists.

Continue spreading the feeling to your knees and elbows… and then to your hips and shoulders.

Now feel all through your body, all the way up to your neck.

Keep it going over your entire head, including the skin on top of your head, over your nose and your ears.

Now do a great big sigh and flood your body with the feeling of release, all the way out to the tips of your fingers and toes.

Keep that feeling of release all through your body and when you are ready, open your eyes.

Think “Release” and get that feeling.

Release suggestions:

• Release playground energy after recess times with a big sigh.
• Doing a Release can be a transitional activity between activities during the school day.

• Teach students to do Release three times if ever angry, fearful, or frustrated in the classroom, playground or at home.
• Use with individual students when the student makes comments such as “I’m tired,” or “I don’t want to do this anymore”. Say, “Let’s do a release.”

• Use during testing or before a performance.

Balloon Breathing

Have children sit in their chairs, feet flat on the ground, legs straight (not crossed), spine straight, head centered, arms resting on the table with the palms facing up.

Say to the students:

• Close your eyes and imagine you are going to blow up a balloon as you inhale and empty the balloon when you exhale. What colour would you like your balloon to be today? 

• Place one hand on your chest and one on your abdomen. As you inhale through the nose, push the belly out, feel the chest rise and feel the collarbone rise. (Show where the collarbone is and have them find their own and feel it.)

• Let the air out of your balloon slowly, first feel the chest go down, and then squeeze the abdomen to get out all the air until your balloon is empty.

•  Remember to breathe slowly, keeping the mind on the breath.

• Blow up your balloon again. Now see how small you can make your balloon when you exhale.

As a variation, students can choose a colour and inhale that colour through the Balloon Breathing exercise.

Songs to encourage slow, deep breathing:

The slower pace and gentle rhythms of songs that encourage deep breathing complement the musical movement experienced with the “Allow” selections.
You may choose a student to “conduct” breathing to coordinate with the music; one hand can be raised for inhaling and lowered for exhaling.

1. Do You Ever Wonder?

2. Lullaby
3. Wide Open Arms