A cartoon of Ash, a non-binary child in a teal superhero suit and mask, with a teal and white breath swirl circling around them and a purple starry night background.

Superhero Breathing Pattern Demonstrations & Variations

The four breathing patterns below are our foundational breaths which are introduced in the My Friend Breath Picture Book.

We recommend learning these breathing patterns by watching the demonstration videos before reading the book to a child and playing say-and-do. This will help both adults and children feel confident recognizing and practicing each breathing pattern.

These foundational breaths are just the beginning. Inside our virtual Superhero Club Playground, your child can explore all 16 breathing patterns—transforming their friend Breath into a powerful tool for navigating emotions with confidence.

Because each emotion shows up differently in the mind and body, our best-practice, evidence-based approach pairs every feeling with a specific breathing pattern—carefully selected to bring calm, restore balance, or invite in uplifting feelings, depending on what’s needed.

By linking each emotion to a matching breath, children learn how to use their breath to feel calmer, braver, focused, joyful, and more—while you both build a shared strategy for emotional-regulation that feels as natural as play.

The Butterfly Breath

1. Instead of using your hands, bring your heels together on the ground and turn out your feet. Then tap with your toes as you breath.
2. Use only one hand to do the tapping action, on your chest or anywhere else on your body.
3. Close your eyes as you breath to focus your attention inwards.

The Kettle Breath

1. Try doing the breathing pattern with either a loud or a soft exhale.
2. Make your hands into fists as you inhale. Then release your fists and shake out your hands as you exhale.
3. Hold your breath for a moment at the top of the inhale, and relax your shoulders and face. Then exhale and pause to relax for a moment at the bottom, before inhaling the next breath.

The Starfish Breath

1. Instead of tracing your opposite hand, trace your finger up and down your arm, or leg.
2. Practice the tracing as a visualization, imagining tracing the sides of a star.
3. Use your eyes to trace up and down as you breath. Try adding a nodding movement of the head or keep your head still and only move your eyes.

The Humming Breath

1. Place your hands in the middle of your chest to feel the hum vibrate in your heart.
2. Try humming loudly and then try humming softly.
3. Create your own humming song using high and low humming sounds.

Swipe to explore all 16 of our superhero breathing patterns!

Each piece of equipment in a playground, such as a slide, swing, or climbing frame, offers a child a different playtime experience and helps them to develop their gross motor skills and physical fitness.

In the same way, each of our superhero breathing patterns in our Superhero Club Playground offers a child a different playtime experience, and helps them to develop their emotional fitness skills.

Learn more about each feeling focus and its corresponding superhero breathing pattern below!

Feeling Focus - Anxious or Afraid

Looking for a way to help a child who is anxious or afraid?
Introducing a child to this special superhero breathing pattern will help give them the courage to handle any situation and feeling that comes their way.
Feeling Focus - Confused

It can be uncomfortable to feel confused. All too often we give up and let confusion stop us from figuring out the problem.
This superhero breathing pattern has a unique way of helping to untangle a confused mind, so a child can seek help, ask questions, and work through their confusion in a calm manner.
Feeling Focus - Excited or Silly

How do you help to calm an excited or silly child?
With our quirky superhero breathing pattern that makes releasing excess energy loads of fun. We know this breathing pattern will quickly become a favourite for both kids and adults.
Feeling Focus - Frustrated

An angry outburst of frustration can be challenging - for everyone!
The wombat breath makes releasing feelings of frustration super empowering and super fun. Try it together today!
Feeling Focus - Furious

Movement and breath combine to release furious feelings from the body and mind.
The actions in this superhero breathing pattern, along with the power of the breath, help a chid to shift their furious energy in a super fun way.
Feeling Focus - Grateful

Discover how giving thanks can make your child feel happier!
Expressing gratitude supports a child’s emotional well-being, as well as boosts their self esteem. This superhero breathing pattern helps to amplify good feelings in a child’s mind and body and is a wonderful way to start or end the day.
Feeling Focus - Happy

Let’s help all kids to experience the joy of feeling happy by teaching them this delightful breathing pattern.
The more a child practices this superhero breathing pattern when they are calm, the more empowered they will become to help happy feelings to come their way.
Feeling Focus - Joy

Invite the energy of joy into your day and experience the sparkles of happiness it brings to your mind and body.
This superhero breathing pattern combines the power of the breath with the joy of laughter, to trigger the release of endorphins, which are a natural mood-boosting chemical.
Feeling Focus - Mad

Feeling mad often leads to behaviour outbursts that can be very challenging and uncomfortable for all involved!
This breathing pattern is a quick and effective way to help a child release mad feelings from their mind and body and return to calm.
Feeling Focus - Overwhelm

The busyness of our daily lives can often lead to feelings of overwhelm, for both kids and adults!
Experiencing a mix of emotions, like sad, angry, and worried, all at once can feel super overwhelming and make everything seem extra big and hard to handle.
This superhero breathing pattern is a quick relaxation hack that can help to diffuse an emotional meltdown triggered by overwhelm.
Feeling Focus - Sad

Sadness can often make kids feel alone. You can help a child learn how to navigate through this uncomfortable emotion using the power of their breath.
This gentle self-soothing superhero breathing pattern is a simple and effective way for a child to let go of their sad feelings.
Feeling Focus - Scared

One of the greatest gifts you can give is the gift of calm - especially to a scared child!
Teaching a child how to use this superhero breathing pattern to help soothe their scared feelings is a skill they will use for life!
Feeling Focus - Shy or Nervous

Is your child sometimes shy or nervous, especially in a social situation?
Teaching your child this subtle, yet super effective, breathing pattern will help them release their shy or nervous energy to become more confident and at ease in any situation.
Feeling Focus - Tired or Low Energy

Looking for a fun way to power up your child’s mind and body, so they feel invigorated, focused and ready for action?
This superhero breathing pattern provides a natural energy boost, making a child feel more alert and ready to tackle tasks or get back in the game.
Feeling Focus - Upset

What can you do to help a child when they feel upset?
Empowering a child with this superhero breathing pattern gives them a simple strategy they can use to help themselves feel better when they are upset, hurt or sick.
Feeling Focus - Worried

Kids worry for various reasons, just like adults do. Sometimes worrying can cause undue stress and anxiety.
This superhero breathing pattern gives a child a strategy they can use to help calm worried thoughts in their mind and body.