2. AIR – breathing and singing: “Take a breath”

These activities may be useful when children and young people are upset or feeling unwell as they will encourage them to breathe deeply, helping them to calm down and feel relaxed.

2.1 Singing

Favourite songs, school songs, singing along to audio tracks or videos – discuss with the children and young people how these make us feel.

Below you’ll find some suggestions for songs to use from Sing Up – these songs were commissioned for Sage Gateshead’s ‘Big Smile’ event – singing for health and wellbeing:

Here are some song-teaching videos from Sing Up available on YouTube:

  • Shake My Sillies Out – a song to banish the fidgets and wake everyone up:

  • Wiggle Jiggle – a funky warm-up to wake up, shake up, and welcome in the new day:

2.2 Rapping

Rapping is similar to spoken-word poetry, but it is usually performed off-time to musical accompaniment which gives a reliable beat and breathing pattern. Rapping differs from singing, as there is not a lot of pitch variation and is generally a more free style which does not always include words. Here is a short video on how to make a very simple rap with props and all! Create your own rap (Charanga: log-in required)

2.3 Singing for school staff

Singing guidance for teachers and school staff: the benefits of singing in schools and the positive effect it has on children, young people and staff has been recognised for a long time. Joining a choir with your own staff in your school or a local community group, is a great way to build your confidence and start feeling the benefits of singing for yourself.

Blog article by Sing Up – Teachers need choirs too

2.4 Deep breathing

Deep breathing can help regulate our bodies into a calm and relaxed mindset. Children and young people may need support with breathing deeply and you can support them with this through encouraging them to feel their diaphragm moving as they breathe from their tummy.

‘Silly To Calm’ – a deep breathing activity for younger children:

2.5 Breathing to music

Put on a calm song chosen by the child or young person. Ask them to draw around their hand with the finger of the opposite hand and breathe as they do so. They should breathe in whilst they trace up the finger, and then breath out as they go down the other side of it.

Similarly, you could ask the child or young person to breathe in for 4 counts, hold it for 4 counts, then release it for 4 counts. This may be easier to do in time to the music so you could pick a well known chorus to practise this to and do it by phrase rather than numbers.