This is a good exercise when you are feeling anxious or panicked.
It's called bunny breathing.
See if you can notice when you are breathing short breaths and when you are breathing long breaths.
When you are feeling scared or anxious,
It helps to notice your breath.
It can help to calm you down.
Find a place where you feel comfortable.
You can sit on a chair or on the floor.
Or if you want to,
You can even kneel up like a bunny.
Now picture yourself as a bunny.
What color are you?
Brown?
White?
Gray?
How do bunnies hold up their paws?
Can you hold your hands up in front of you like a bunny?
What do bunnies like to eat?
Carrots?
How do you think they find carrots to eat?
They sniff the air.
When they sniff for carrots and find them,
Then they relax because they are so happy.
Let's sniff the air for carrots just like a bunny does.
Sniff three times in through your nose.
Then hold your breath for a moment and then let it out with a long exhale.
Let's try that again.
Sniff in three times through your nose.
Hold.
And now breathe all out through your mouth.
Let's try it one more time.
Sniff in three times.
Sniff,
Sniff,
Sniff.
Hold.
And now let it all out through your mouth.
What could you be sniffing at?
Maybe a flower?
What color is the flower that you see?
Maybe you are sniffing for some friends to play with.
Sniff in three times.
Sniff,
Sniff,
Sniff.
Hold.
And now breathe out.
Whatever you are sniffing for is fine.
Just allow yourself to feel how relaxed you are after the sniffing when you breathe out through your mouth.
Doesn't that feel better?
We can all learn how to be calm bunnies when we use our bunny breath.
Good job,
Bunnies!
