Balloon Breathing

How can a pretend balloon help your whole body relax?

Your turn!

Question 1 of 2

Where does Quarky imagine his balloon when he breathes?

The story

Quarky learns belly breathing by imagining a balloon tucked inside his tummy. Breathe in, and the balloon slowly puffs up. Breathe out, and it softly floats back down. His first balloon breaths are far too fast and come out squeaky, which makes him giggle. But with a little practice the balloon grows slow and round, his shoulders drop, his glow softens, and his whole body settles into calm.

What you'll learn

Slow belly breathing helps your body and your feelings settle down.
Breathe in slowly to fill the balloon, breathe out slowly to let it float down.
Fast squeaky breaths are fine at first, practice makes them slow and round.
Calm takeaway: slow breathing can help your body relax.
Quarky takeaway: when big feelings show up, you can slow down and be kind to yourself.