Calm breathing: the 5-finger breath

A short, quiet activity to help a child (or a whole class) settle before homework, a test or a transition. It takes about 2 minutes and needs no equipment. Who it is for: ages 5 and up, at home or in class. How to do it: 1. Hold one hand up, fingers spread, like a star. 2. Take the pointer finger of the other hand and place it at the bottom of the thumb. 3. Slowly trace up the thumb while breathing in through the nose. 4. Trace down the other side while breathing out through the mouth. 5. Keep going finger by finger: up and breathe in, down and breathe out. 6. When you reach the end of the little finger, trace back the other way. Two full hands is a good first goal. Tips: - Go slowly. If the child rushes, count "in, 2, 3" and "out, 2, 3, 4" quietly together. - Do it together the first few times. Children copy the adult's pace. - Try it at the same moment each day, for example before starting homework, so it becomes a routine. Notice and track: after the activity, ask the child to rate how calm they feel from 1 to 5. Over a few weeks, you can compare this with their DayBy attention results. This activity supports practice and self-regulation. It is not a treatment and does not replace advice from a health professional.