3 Playful Halloween Breaths for Kids: Slow Down, Reduce Anxiety, and Manage Stress Using Spooky-Inspired Breathing Exercises
As we get closer to the spookiest holiday of the year, it’s no surprise that children—and even some adults—find themselves a little extra fidgety, dysregulated, and distracted. In the spirit of Halloween, we’re sharing three creative and playful Halloween Breaths so that you can easily incorporate fun breathing exercises into your day. These exercises are designed to help children (and maybe even you) find calm, focus, and be ready to learn.
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But first, let’s start with a little story from a few years ago during one of my yoga story times at our local library. The plan was simple: we would read Trish’s Fall Photography and do a fall nature art project.
Things started off wonderfully, with a dozen or so children and their parents or caregivers. We went along with Trish and her photography adventure, acting out the story, and discussing the magic of fall. It was a heartwarming sight. One child even remarked how reading while moving was so much better than sitting down—proof of the benefits of yoga storytelling!
About halfway through our yoga story time, a child waltzed into the room without an adult and swiftly began to disrupt the peace, recruiting a few others to join in the chaos. It caught me off guard, and I had to press pause on our yoga storytelling adventure.
I took a moment to explain what we were trying to achieve and set expectations for participation. We continued, but I’ll admit, I was a bit rattled. I’m sure many of you can relate to the challenges of teaching in public places, where you don’t always know the children well and don’t know what’s brewing under the surface.
As I packed up after the session, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of embarrassment and disappointment. I wished I could have connected better with that little girl who needed more support and attention at that moment. It was a lesson in the unpredictability of teaching, especially in unfamiliar environments.
Then the librarian came in after class and shared that similar experiences had occurred with other children just days prior. Something about the Halloween season makes the energy in the air positively electric.
This insight took me back to my own daughter’s Halloween frenzy. The lead-up to Halloween can be an anxiety-filled whirlwind, with thoughts of costumes, parties, trick-or-treating with friends, and the candy stash racing through her mind.
So, what can we do? Let’s keep it simple. Let’s go back to the basics. Let’s slow down and find moments to lengthen our breath throughout the day.
One way to do that is to teach children breathing exercises. We can then pause to take some deep breaths ourselves to get off the hamster wheel and instead, slow down and connect with our students.
3 Halloween Breaths to Slow Down, Ease Anxiety, and Help Focus
Here are three creative, spooky-inspired Halloween Breaths to help you weave the magic of calm and focus into your day:
1. Bat Breath
Picture yourself as a bat, standing tall in Mountain Pose. As you inhale slowly, raise your arms over your head, palms touching (just like Flying Bird Breath). Then, with an exhale through your mouth, swiftly bring your arms back down to your sides, palms brushing your outer thighs. Imagine the graceful motion of flapping wings and synchronize it with your breath. For a playful twist, start in a Standing Forward Bend, then raise your arms overhead, granting you the bonus of an upside-down view to calm your mind.
2. Ghost Breath
Get crafty by creating a tissue ghost. Insert a finger up the middle, secure an elastic around the top for a head, and use markers to give it a friendly face. Now, it’s time to practice blowing on the ghost to watch the tissue flutter. Encourage children to experiment with slow and quick breaths, observing the different effects (just like Feather Breath).
3. Witch’s Brew Breath
Imagine you’re holding a steaming mug of witch’s brew in your hands (a variation of Candle Breath). Inhale slowly through your nose, savoring the aroma, and then pretend to cool down your imaginary brew as you exhale. Ensure a gentle and slow exhalation to prevent any magical spills. You can even get creative by discussing the color and ingredients of your unique witch’s brew.
Now, the beauty of these breathing exercises is that you can seamlessly incorporate them into your daily routine, without adding anything extra to your jam-packed schedule.
For instance, during a recent chapter book reading session, a father and son were enjoying some coffee together. Spontaneously, I asked the students to pretend to hold coffee cups and blow into our hands gently, simulating cooling down the hot brew. It was a fantastic way to re-engage the students in the story and take a quick brain break. Best of all, it only took a minute!
And don’t limit these breathing exercises to yoga or story time. If you’re sharing a Halloween-themed book with the class, such as Julia Donaldson’s Room on the Broom, consider adding a spooky-themed breathing exercise or incorporating yoga poses into the storytelling experience.
So, as Halloween approaches and the excitement builds, remember that a little creativity, mindfulness, and the magic of these Halloween Breaths can make all the difference in keeping young minds focused, calm, and ready to learn.