Breathe Like a Bear, by Kira Willey. Illustrations by Anni Betts
Ever find yourself telling your child to TAKE A DEEP BREATH? Or maybe telling yourself that? Or maybe wish you had said that? Breathe Like a Bear is a really neat way to start teaching your kiddo about mindfulness (and is a great reminder for us grownups as well!)
This book is broken into 5 sections: Be Calm, Focus, Imagine, Make Some Energy, and Relax. There are great little one-page instructions on listening to their breath, slowing down, controlling their breathing, and so on. The illustrations are absolutely adorable (adorbs as my son likes to say) and sure to set the right mood while reading it.
We usually just choose 4-5 pages to read at a time and take our time going through those exercises. I think the fact that kids are taught a number of different ways to practice mindfulness will really help them to find a method that works for their own unique personality. I highly recommend this book, especially for all the big feelings and emotions that we’ve all been cycling through this last year. It works well as a bedtime book, getting ready for school situations, or as a way to help calm down at the end of the day before dinner.
I would love to know if you’ve tried it and what your favorite practices are! Let us know in the comments!
