Take 5 Breaths

The Purpose of this resource:

This resource is used to assist children in calming down by taking deep breaths. It helps them to keep track of each breath taken.

How to use this resource:

This visual cue card can be used when a child is distressed or angry when they may struggle with the basics of breathing. This resource can help children see their progress with breathing. It helps students to take 5 large deep breaths. The parent/teacher can use this one to one when needed with a child, and hand over a Picture Symbol with each breath. It can be done 2-3 times if needed until the child is feeling better.Once a child is familiar with the process, they may be able to use it independently when they are feeling upset.

Preparation of this resource:

 Cut out and laminate the base board(with the green background) and each individual breath card.

Place ‘furry’ Velcro on each numbered rectangle and ‘sticky’ Velcro on the back of each breath card.

 How to adapt this resource:

Instead of using the breath cards the child(or parent/teacher) could use a whiteboard marker to put a tick in each box as they take a breath.