Music & Emotion: 3 Songs to Help Your Child Practice Deep Breathing
Helping kids manage big emotions starts with teaching them simple, calming techniques—and deep breathing is one of the best tools they can learn. But getting children to slow down and focus on their breath isn’t always easy. That’s where music can make a big difference. The right songs can guide kids through deep breathing exercises in a fun, engaging way, helping them relax and build emotional regulation skills. In this post, we’ll share three soothing songs designed to help your child practice deep breathing, turning moments of stress into opportunities for calm and self-awareness.
1. The Breathing Song by Narwhals and Waterfalls
As we’ve introduced before, we love the music from Narwhals and Waterfalls. Giving children a choice in their practice can help them to feel like they have more control, and may lead to them practicing on their own. As you listen to this song, try to let your child pick their favorite first, to make sure they are not copying your favorite, then practice it with them for the last part of the song.
2. Light a Candle by Stephanie Leavell
Children thrive when given the opportunity to turn work into play. This song is a great way to take a “boring” skill and turn it into something that your children are excited to practice with you throughout the week. Follow along with the video and practice pretending that your pointer finger is a candle that we need to “blow out”. The children will be able to feel their breath on their finger, which will help them understand how much they need to blow.
3. Calm Body, Calm Mind by Netflix Jr
This video is an incredible compilation of all children’s favorite characters from Netflix Junior practicing the skill of deep breathing. This song also introduces that sometimes we need to take a breath when our body is feeling too fast, not just when we are having big feelings. As your children continue to watch these shows, point out when the characters are taking a deep breath, and practice alongside them.
Learning to use deep breathing when we need it takes time and practice. Be patient with your children as they learn this skill, and continue to show your children that adults need to stop and take deep breaths too. Saying it out loud will help your children understand what is going on, and can even encourage them to do it with you. As you practice this skill in your home, your children will learn that they are not in trouble when they need to stop and take a breath. We encourage you to practice deep breathing with your children throughout the day, and try several different ways until you find the one that is right for your family.
