Diaphragmatic/deep breathing is known to stimulate the vagus nerve and lets your body know that everything is okay. This activates the relaxation response of the parasympathetic nervous system (rest or digest mode) which gives us a sense of safety and connection.
Find above some simple breathing exercises that can be incorporated quickly and easily into your day, or with children at school (or at home) any time. Do watch responses closely, as for some children, breath work can be very difficult and at times triggering. Take things slowly and carefully and if in any doubt, stop the exercise.
If you work in an education setting, think about how you might make these a regular part of the day if they are working well with the children in your care - maybe they become one of the first things you do in your class or group, or you might take a couple of minutes at the end of a session ahead of a transition point in the day, or they might be a quick go-to when you start to notice signs of dysregulation. Download your pdf copy below.
In the meantime, if you or other staff in your setting are committed to developing a trauma-informed culture, do take a look at the services I can offer to support this and get in touch.