This try-it-tomorrow tool is great for all ages.
This simple grounding activity can be used anywhere to slow breathing and calm the body and mind. Use it alone or together!
Materials
- All you need for this activity is your hand and your breath
- (Optional): A quiet moment and a comfy place to sit
- (Optional): A journal and something to write with for reflection questions
Instruction
- Hold up one hand
- With your other hand, trace your thumb
- Inhale as you trace up
- Exhale as you trace down
- Keep tracing each finger, matching your breath – inhale as you trace up a finger, exhale as you trace down
- Finish all five fingers and notice how your body feels
Reflection
Notice: What did you notice in your body while breathing?
- Examples:
- heart rate
- shoulders
- jaw
- thoughts slowing down
Name: one feeling you had before the activity and one feeling you had after the activity
- Examples:
- anxious → calmer
- tense → steadier
- distracted → present
Choose: When could this help you next time?
- Examples:
- before a hard conversation
- after a mistake
- before bed
- during practice
- etc.
Take it With You: Write a reminder or cue you’ll use.
- Examples:
- “Breathe before reacting.”
- “Five fingers = five breaths.”
- “I can pause.”
Quick Tips
- Practice when calm first.
- Try it at neutral times (before bed, in the car, after dinner) so it’s easier to use during big feelings.
- Model it out loud.
- Caregivers can say, “I’m feeling frustrated – I’m going to do five-finger breathing.” Kids learn by seeing it.
- Use it as a pause, not a punishment.
- This is a reset tool, not a timeout or consequence.
Ready to try it? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
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