Chapter 1: Breath and Your Body

Chapter Introduction

Take one slow breath.

Now take another one. A little slower.

Did you notice anything? Maybe your shoulders dropped. Maybe your chest got a little softer. Maybe the room got a little quieter inside your head. Maybe nothing changed at all — that is okay too.

Hi. I am the Dolphin.

I teach about breath. Breath is one of the most amazing things your body does. You breathe all day. You breathe all night. You have never had to think about it — and yet you can pay attention to it any time you want. Most people go their whole lives without really noticing their breath. The Dolphin is here to change that for you.

I am a dolphin, which means I live underwater. Every breath I take, I have to choose. I swim up to the surface. I take a breath. I dive back down. That is how my body works. Because of this, dolphins know breath in a way most animals do not. I am going to share some of what I know with you.

This is the first time you and I are talking about breath together. I am curious. I am playful. I am calm. I love noticing things, and I love asking questions. We will take our time.

In this chapter, you will learn three big ideas.

The first big idea is what breath is and what your body does when you breathe. Breath happens on its own, but you can also pay attention to it. That is what makes breath special. Your heart beats on its own, and you cannot really change it on purpose. Your tummy works on its own, and you cannot change that. But breath — breath — you can notice, slow down, speed up, and shape. That is a small superpower most kids do not know they have.

The second big idea is that breath is connected to feelings. The Turtle (Coach Brain) and I work very closely on this. When you have big feelings, your breath often goes fast. When you slow your breath down, your feelings often soften. People have used this for thousands of years.

The third big idea is the most important one. Sometimes breathing gets hard. Most of the time, that is normal — you ran fast, you got scared, you cried hard. But sometimes hard breathing is a signal to tell a grown-up right away. The Bear, the Turtle, the Cat, the Lion, the Penguin, the Camel, and I are all on the same team about this.

Are you ready? Take one slow breath. The Dolphin is in your corner.

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Lesson 1.1: Your Body and Breath

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Tell where breath goes when you breathe in
• Name what your body needs from the air and what your body gets rid of
• Notice how your breath changes when you move or rest
• Understand that some kids have bodies that breathe a little differently — and that is okay
• Notice your own breath right now

Key Terms

The Dolphin Watches

The Dolphin has been watching humans breathe for a long, long time. I will tell you what I have seen.

Bodies breathe all the time. While you sit there reading, you are breathing. While you slept last night, you were breathing. While you were born, you took your very first breath, and you have been breathing ever since. Most kids your age have never really thought about it — and that is fine. The body knows how. Your body has been a breathing body since you were a tiny baby.

If you take a moment right now to pay attention to your breath, you can notice it. Try it. Just listen to your own breathing for a moment. Do not try to change it. Just notice.

Did you hear it? Or feel it? Maybe your chest moved a little up and down. Maybe air came in through your nose. Maybe through your mouth. Maybe you noticed your breath was kind of fast, or kind of slow, or somewhere in the middle.

That is your breath. It was already there. You just paid attention to it. The Dolphin thinks paying attention to your breath is one of the most useful skills a kid can learn.

Where Breath Goes

Let me show you the path your breath takes. It is shorter than you might think.

When you breathe in, air comes through your nose (or sometimes your mouth). It travels down through your throat. Then it goes into your chest, into two soft, springy parts called lungs. There are two lungs — one on each side of your chest. They are soft and pink and full of tiny spaces for air.

The air sits in your lungs for just a moment. Then it comes back out — back up your throat, out your nose or mouth. That is one breath. In, and out.

That whole trip happens many, many times every minute. When you are sitting quietly, your body takes about twenty breaths every minute. When you sleep, slower. When you run, faster. Your body figures out the right speed without you having to think about it [1, 2].

What Your Body Needs From Air

Why does your body breathe? Why does it need air?

Here is the short answer the Dolphin will share at your age. Air has something in it that your body needs to do its work. The air you breathe in brings that something to your body. The air you breathe out carries away something else that your body is done with — something your body cannot use anymore.

In, your body takes what it needs. Out, your body lets go of what it is done with. Every minute, all day, all night.

The Dolphin is not going to teach you all the chemistry today. When you are older, you will learn the names of these things. For now, the picture is simple: breath is a trade. Your body trades air it is done with for air it needs.

Pretty smart of your body.

Breath Changes With What You Are Doing

Have you ever noticed that your breath changes during the day? Probably not. Most kids do not. But the Dolphin notices, and you are going to start noticing too.

When you sit still, your breath is calm and slow. You breathe in. A pause. You breathe out. A pause. Quiet.

When you walk, your breath is a little faster. Not too much. Just a little.

When you run hard or play tag, your breath gets fast. Sometimes very fast. Sometimes you can hear yourself breathing.

When you sleep, your breath is the slowest of all. Slow and steady, like waves.

When you get scared or excited, your breath often gets fast — even if you have not moved at all. That is your body getting ready. (We will talk more about feelings and breath in Lesson 2.)

When you laugh hard, your breath goes all funny, in bursts and gasps. That is fine too. Laughing is healthy breathing in its own way.

All of these changes are normal. Your body figures out the right speed without you doing anything. It is a smart system.

If you ever want to feel your breath change, try this: stand up. Run in place for ten seconds, lifting your knees high. Stop. Now feel your breath. Faster? Probably. Now sit down and rest for thirty seconds. Feel it again. Slower? Probably.

Your breath answered. Your body did the math.

Some Kids Have Bodies That Breathe a Little Differently

The Dolphin wants you to know something important.

Some kids have bodies that breathe a little differently than other kids' bodies. The most common kind is asthma. About one out of every twelve kids in the United States has asthma [3]. That is a lot of kids. Maybe you. Maybe a friend. Maybe a sibling.

Asthma is a condition where the small tubes that carry air to the lungs can sometimes get tight and make breathing harder. When this happens, a kid with asthma might wheeze (a whistly sound), cough, or feel short of breath. Asthma can happen because of allergies, cold air, exercise, smoke, or sometimes for no reason at all.

Kids with asthma usually have:

• A doctor who knows them and helps them
• An inhaler (sometimes called a "puffer") — a small medicine you breathe in that helps the tubes relax and open back up
• A grown-up who knows what to do if asthma starts acting up

If you have asthma, the Dolphin wants you to know: your body is not broken. Your body just needs a little extra care with breath. The inhaler is medicine, like any other medicine. Using it is not a failure. It is what your body needs. Some of the fastest runners, best swimmers, and most amazing musicians in the world have asthma.

If you have a friend or sibling with asthma, the Dolphin wants you to know: be kind. If your friend needs to slow down, sit, or use their inhaler, that is just their body doing its work. It is not weird. It is not different in a bad way. It is just how their breath works.

Some other kids have bodies that breathe differently for other reasons — allergies, a cold or cough, sensory differences that make certain smells hard, or other conditions. All of these bodies are normal. The Dolphin is friendly to every kind of breath.

The Dolphin never compares one kid's breath to another. Bodies are different. Breath is different. That is okay.

Notice Your Breath Right Now

Here is a small thing the Dolphin loves doing.

Stop reading. Sit comfortably. Put one hand on your tummy and one hand on your chest. Close your eyes if you want — or keep them open.

Now just breathe normally. Do not try to change anything. Just notice.

• Where is your breath going? Do you feel your tummy move? Your chest? Both?
• Is your breath fast or slow right now?
• Is air going in through your nose, your mouth, or both?
• How long is your in-breath? How long is your out-breath?

There are no right answers. The Dolphin just wants you to notice. This kind of noticing is something most grown-ups never learn. Kids who learn it young have a small gift many adults wish they had.

Now take one slow breath. A real slow one. Breathe in slowly. Breathe out slowly.

Did anything feel different? It might have. Or not. Either is fine.

The Dolphin is glad you tried.

Lesson Check

1. Where does the air go when you breathe in?
2. Why does your body need to breathe? (Short answer is fine.)
3. Name two things that make your breath change speed.
4. What is asthma? Do kids with asthma have bodies that are broken?
5. Put one hand on your chest and one on your tummy. Take three normal breaths and notice. Where did you feel your breath?

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Lesson 1.2: Breath and Feelings

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Tell how breath changes when you have big feelings
• Notice that slow breathing can help feelings feel a little smaller
• Practice taking slow breaths with a trusted grown-up
• Understand that breath does not fix every feeling — sometimes you also tell a grown-up
• Notice your breath when you have a feeling

Key Terms

A Quick Dolphin Story

The Dolphin lives in water. Every breath the Dolphin takes is a choice. Up to the surface. Breath. Back down. Up to the surface. Breath. Back down.

Because of this, dolphins are very aware of their breath. We pay attention to it. We notice when it is fast. We notice when it is slow. We can change it on purpose. Most other animals cannot do this very well.

Here is the secret the Dolphin wants to share. You can do this too. Humans are one of the only animals (besides dolphins) who can really pay attention to their breath and change it on purpose. Your breath happens on its own — but you can also choose a breath. You can take a slow one. You can take a deep one. You can notice your fast one and slow it down.

That is a tiny superpower. Most kids never know they have it. The Dolphin is going to show it to you now.

Big Feelings Change Your Breath

The Turtle (Coach Brain) and I are good friends. We work closely on this lesson. The Turtle taught you in Your Brain and You that your brain makes feelings, and that all feelings are okay. The Dolphin agrees with everything the Turtle said.

Here is what the Dolphin adds: feelings change your breath.

Have you ever noticed?

• When you are excited, your breath gets quick and shallow.
• When you are scared, your breath gets fast — and sometimes you almost forget to breathe for a second.
• When you are mad, your breath might be sharp and short.
• When you cry, your breath comes in jumps.
• When you are calm, your breath is slow and easy.
• When you are sleepy, your breath is even slower.
• When you are worried, your breath might feel tight in your chest.

Your breath is like a little weather report on your feelings. If you can notice your breath, you can usually notice your feeling too. The Dolphin loves this — breath is a way of seeing inside yourself.

Slow Breathing Can Help Feelings Settle

Here is one of the oldest tricks humans know. When feelings get big, slow breathing can help.

People have known this for thousands of years. People in many places, from many cultures, with many different traditions, have noticed the same thing: when you slow your breath down on purpose, your body often starts to feel a little calmer. Your heart slows down a little. Your shoulders soften. The big feeling does not disappear, but it usually gets a little smaller [4, 5].

The Dolphin is not going to tell you exactly how many breaths to take or how long each breath should be. That is for older kids and for the grown-ups in your life. The Dolphin is going to share a very simple idea instead:

When a feeling gets big, take a few slow breaths.

That is it. That is the whole tool. A few slow breaths. In through your nose if you can. Out through your nose or mouth, slower than the breath in. Two or three of them. Maybe more if you want.

Some kids like to count to themselves. (One, two, three breathing in. One, two, three, four breathing out.) Some kids like to picture filling a balloon and letting it go. Some kids like to put a hand on their tummy and feel the breath there. Find what works for you. There is no right way.

Slow breaths are not a magic spell. Sometimes they help a lot. Sometimes they help a little. Sometimes the feeling is too big for breath alone — and that is when you talk to a trusted grown-up. The Dolphin will say more about that in a moment.

Practice With a Trusted Grown-Up

Here is something the Dolphin wants you to try, just once, while you are reading this chapter.

Find a trusted grown-up. Ask them: "Can we practice slow breathing together for one minute?" Tell them you are reading the Dolphin's chapter.

When you find them, sit somewhere comfortable. You can sit on the floor, on a couch, at a kitchen table. Eyes open or closed — your choice.

Take three slow breaths together with your grown-up.

• Breath one: in slowly... out slowly...
• Breath two: in slowly... out slowly...
• Breath three: in slowly... out slowly...

That is it. Three breaths. About thirty seconds.

Did anything happen? You can notice quietly, or talk about it with your grown-up. Some kids feel a little calmer. Some kids feel a little wiggly. Some kids do not feel much different. Any answer is fine.

The Dolphin thinks practicing slow breaths with a grown-up matters because it shows you that this is something you and your grown-ups can do together. Slow breathing is not a special trick a doctor gives you — it is a thing humans have always done. Sharing it with a trusted grown-up makes it normal. It is normal. The Dolphin is glad you tried.

When Breath Is Not Enough

The Dolphin needs to say one more thing in this lesson, and it matters.

Slow breathing helps with many feelings. But slow breathing does not fix every feeling. Sometimes a feeling is big. Sometimes a feeling sticks around for a long time. Sometimes a feeling is about something that happened that needs a real grown-up to help with — not just three slow breaths.

When a feeling is too big for slow breathing — tell a trusted grown-up. Slow breath is one tool. Talking to a grown-up is another tool. You can use both. You can use one. You can use whichever helps.

The Turtle told you the same thing in Your Brain and You. The Bear told you the same thing about food. The Cat told you about sleep. The Lion told you about moving. The Penguin told you about cold. The Camel told you about heat. The Dolphin tells you about breath. All of us point to the same place: trusted grown-ups. When a feeling is bigger than your tools, your trusted grown-ups are your bigger tools.

You are never alone with a big feeling. You have grown-ups. You have us. We are all on the same team.

When Breath Comes On Its Own

One more friendly note before we move on.

Sometimes you do not need to think about your breath at all. You are reading a book and feeling calm — your breath is calm too. You are running with a friend and laughing — your breath is fast and happy. You are sleeping — your breath is steady.

You do not have to control your breath all the time. Most of the time, your body handles it for you. The Dolphin only wants you to know that you can pay attention to it when you want to. It is there. It is a tool. You can use it.

That is enough for one lesson.

Lesson Check

1. Name two ways your breath changes when you have a big feeling.
2. What can slow breathing help with?
3. Did you try three slow breaths with a trusted grown-up? How did it feel?
4. Does slow breathing fix every feeling? What does the Dolphin say to do when breath is not enough?
5. Where in your body might you feel breath when you breathe slowly? (Your chest? Your tummy? Both?)

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Lesson 1.3: When Breathing Is Hard

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Tell the difference between normal hard breath (after running, crying, scared) and hard breath that means tell a grown-up
• Name four body signals that breath is becoming concerning
• Know what to do if you or another kid is having trouble breathing
• Understand the rule about not holding your breath underwater for fun
• Know how to help if someone is choking

Key Terms

The Dolphin Is Honest

The Dolphin is going to be honest with you. Breathing is mostly fine. Most of the time, your body breathes without you ever thinking about it. Even when breath gets harder — like after running fast or crying hard — it usually settles down within a few minutes.

But sometimes, breath gets hard in a way that needs grown-up help. The Dolphin wants you to know the difference. Not to scare you. To help you.

The most important thing in this whole chapter is this: when breath gets hard in a worrying way, you tell a trusted grown-up right away. Right then. Not later. Your grown-up will help.

The other coaches have all said the same thing about their topics. The Dolphin says it about breath.

Normal Hard Breath vs. Tell-A-Grown-Up Hard Breath

Let me show you the difference.

Normal hard breath is what happens when:

• You just ran fast and your breath is fast and heavy. (You will catch your breath in a minute.)
• You cried hard and your breath is jumpy. (It will calm down soon.)
• You got scared and your breath went quick. (As you settle, the breath settles.)
• You laughed so hard you almost could not breathe. (Funny, not scary.)
• You ran up the stairs and felt out of breath at the top. (Sit, breathe, you will be fine.)

This kind of hard breath is your body doing its job. Give it a few minutes. Drink some water. Sit down. Breath will come back to normal.

Tell-a-grown-up hard breath is different. This is when:

• You cannot catch your breath even after you stop and rest
• Your chest feels tight and you cannot breathe deep
• You make a whistly wheezing sound when you breathe
• Your lips, fingers, or skin start to look bluish or grayish
• You cannot talk in full words because you cannot get enough breath
• You start coughing and cannot stop
• You feel like you are choking on food or something
• You have asthma and your inhaler is not helping
• Something just feels wrong with your breath

If any of these happen, tell a trusted grown-up right away. Right then. Not after the game. Right then. Your grown-up will help. They may sit with you. They may help you use your inhaler if you have one. They may take you to a doctor. If something looks very serious, grown-ups can call 911. That is the phone number grown-ups call for an emergency in the United States. You do not have to call 911 yourself — unless a grown-up has taught you to and there is no grown-up around. You tell a grown-up. The grown-up makes the call.

The Lion, the Penguin, and the Camel all told you about 911. The Dolphin says the same thing. Same number. Same rule.

About Asthma

The Dolphin already mentioned asthma in Lesson 1. Here is more for this lesson, where it matters most.

Many kids have asthma. If you are one of them, the Dolphin loves you and wants you to know: you and your grown-ups know what to do. You have a plan. Maybe you have an inhaler that you keep with you or at school. Maybe you have certain things that trigger your asthma (cold air, running hard, dust, smoke, pet fur, certain plants, sometimes nothing at all). You know your body better than anyone except the people who care for you.

If your breath gets hard from asthma:

• Stop what you are doing
• Sit down
• Use your inhaler if you have one and you know how (your grown-up taught you)
• Tell a trusted grown-up right away
• If your inhaler is not helping or your breath keeps getting worse, the grown-up may call 911

Most asthma is okay with the right care. Some asthma needs more help. Your doctor knows what is right for you. Your grown-ups have a plan with your doctor. Trust the plan.

If you have a friend or sibling with asthma, be the kind of friend they need:

• If they need to slow down, slow down with them
• If they need to use their inhaler, give them space
• If they say their inhaler is not helping, tell a grown-up right away
• Never tease anyone for having asthma — it is just their body
• Never play with someone else's inhaler — it is their medicine, not a toy

The Dolphin thinks kids who help their asthma friends are some of the best friends in the world.

About Choking

The Dolphin needs to say a few short words about choking.

Choking is when food or something else gets stuck in your throat and blocks the air. It is serious because if breath cannot get through, the body needs help fast.

Here are simple rules the Dolphin wants you to know to help avoid choking:

• Sit down when you eat. Running, laughing, or playing while chewing makes choking more likely.
• Eat slowly. Chew your food well before you swallow.
• Cut up big pieces of food. Grapes, hot dogs, big chunks of meat — these can get stuck. Cut them small.
• Do not put small things in your mouth. Toys, coins, beads — these can get stuck.
• Do not talk with food in your mouth. Try to chew first, then swallow, then talk.

Most of these are things your grown-ups have said for years. The Dolphin agrees with them.

If someone you are with is choking:

• Signs: they cannot talk, cannot breathe, hands at throat, face turning red or blue, looking scared
• Yell for a grown-up right away. Loud. Run if you have to. Get help.
• A trained grown-up knows how to help. They may also call 911.
• Stay close to your friend until help comes.

The Dolphin hopes you never see this. But if you do, you know what to do.

A Special Rule About Holding Your Breath Underwater

The Dolphin needs to spend some real time on this one. This is the most important safety rule in the whole chapter.

Kids never hold their breath underwater on purpose for fun.

Not on a dare. Not in a contest. Not to see who can stay under the longest. Not alone. Not even with friends.

Let me tell you why.

The Dolphin holds its breath underwater all the time. That is part of being a dolphin. My body is built for it. I have special parts inside me that let me hold a breath for many minutes safely. I can dive deep. I can swim a long way. My body knows when to come back up.

Your body is not built like mine. Human bodies are not made for breath-holding underwater. Your body has different rules.

Here is the part the Dolphin really wants you to understand. When a person holds their breath underwater, their body normally sends a strong signal — "come up, I need air now!" — that makes them want to surface. That is your body keeping you safe.

But sometimes that signal can fail. Sometimes — especially when a person takes lots of fast deep breaths first, the way some kids do before going underwater on purpose — the signal does not come. The person can run out of air and pass out underwater without ever feeling the urge to come up. They can breathe in water without knowing it is happening. This has hurt and killed children and even strong adult swimmers in the United States [6, 7].

The Dolphin is firm about this because the Dolphin has seen it happen, and the Dolphin cares about you.

The rules:

• Kids do not hold their breath underwater on purpose. Not at a pool, not in a lake, not in a bathtub, not in the ocean.
• Kids never play breath-holding games or contests in water. Even with friends. Even with a grown-up nearby. Even if you are a really good swimmer.
• Kids especially never take lots of fast breaths before going underwater. This is the most dangerous combination.
• Kids and water = trusted grown-ups close and watching. The Penguin and Camel both said this. The Dolphin says it too. Always.

Coming up for air is the most important thing your body does in water. Let it do its job. Do not try to fool it.

The Dolphin will say more about breath at higher grades. For now, this is the rule. The Dolphin is firm because the Dolphin loves you.

Feelings About Breath

The Turtle taught you that all feelings are okay. The Lion, the Penguin, and the Camel agreed. The Dolphin agrees too. Feelings about breath are normal — and you do not handle big feelings about breath alone.

Some feelings about breath you might have:

• Worried about asthma flare-ups
• Scared when breath feels tight
• Frustrated when you cannot keep up with running friends
• Embarrassed about using an inhaler in front of others
• Anxious when feelings get big and breath goes fast
• Sad because someone in your family has trouble breathing
• Worried when grown-ups talk about breath problems

All of these are normal feelings. If a feeling about breath gets big or sticks around, tell a trusted grown-up. The same trusted grown-ups who help with food, brain, sleep, movement, cold, and heat feelings can help with breath feelings too.

You can start small:

• "My breath felt weird today."
• "I get scared when my asthma starts."
• "I do not like running because I get out of breath."
• "I had a big feeling and my breath went fast."
• "Why does my friend's breath sometimes sound funny?"

Any of those is a good start.

When a Feeling Feels Really Scary or Unsafe

The Dolphin is going to be careful and clear here, because this part matters most.

Sometimes a feeling can get really big. Maybe a feeling about your breath or your body makes you really scared. Maybe a feeling makes you want to hurt yourself. Maybe a feeling makes you not want to be here.

If a feeling like that ever comes up — at any time, in any weather, about any topic — tell a trusted grown-up right away. Not later. Right then. The grown-up will not be mad. The grown-up will be glad you told them.

There are special phone numbers grown-ups can use when feelings get really scary or unsafe. The Dolphin wants you to know these exist, so that if a feeling like this ever happens, you can tell a grown-up, and the grown-up can use one of these helpers. You do not have to remember the numbers. The grown-ups in your life can use them.

For a breath emergency — when someone cannot breathe, is choking, or needs help right away:

• A grown-up can call 911. In the United States, 911 is the phone number for emergencies. Real people answer fast and send help. Kids your age do not call 911 on their own (unless a grown-up has taught you to and there is no grown-up around) — you tell a grown-up, and the grown-up makes the call.

Helpers grown-ups can call when feelings feel really scary or unsafe:

• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: a grown-up can call or text 988, day or night. Real people answer. They help right away.
• Crisis Text Line: a grown-up can text the word HOME to 741741, day or night. Real people answer by text.

Helpers grown-ups can call about other big or hard worries:

• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357, day or night. Real people answer.

These helpers are for grown-ups to use when you and they need them. Kids your age do not call helplines on their own. You tell a trusted grown-up first. The grown-up takes care of the rest.

The Bear, the Turtle, the Cat, the Lion, the Penguin, the Camel, and I are all saying the same thing. We agree. You are part of a team. You are not alone.

Breath Is a Bridge

The Dolphin will end this lesson with one quiet thought.

Breath is a bridge. It is the bridge between things your body does on its own (like your heartbeat and your tummy and the way your bones grow) and things you can pay attention to and choose (like walking and talking and reading this book). Breath is in both places at once. It happens by itself, but you can also step in.

That makes breath one of the most useful tools a human has. It is always with you. It is free. It does not need anything. When you have a feeling, breath is right there. When you need to calm down a little, breath is right there. When you need to notice yourself, breath is right there.

The Dolphin will see you again at higher grades. The Dolphin will teach you more then — more about breath, more about the cool things it does, more about how to use it. For now, this is enough.

Take one slow breath. The Dolphin is patient. The Dolphin is in your corner. So is everyone else on the team.

Lesson Check

1. Name two signals that mean breath is hard in a way you should tell a grown-up.
2. What is an inhaler? Is using one a sign of being weak?
3. Why does the Dolphin say kids never hold their breath underwater for fun?
4. If a friend starts choking, what do you do?
5. If a feeling about breath ever feels really scary or unsafe, what is the first thing the Dolphin says you should do?

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End-of-Chapter Activity: Three Slow Breaths a Day

The Dolphin has one activity for you. It is gentle. It takes one minute a day, three times a day, for three days. You can do this any week.

What You Need

• A piece of paper or a small notebook
• A pencil
• Three days of your normal life
• A trusted grown-up to share with at the end

What You Do

Step 1 — Make a breath sheet. At the top of your paper, write the dates of three days in a row. For each day, leave space for three times: morning, middle, evening. Under each, leave a small spot to write a few words.

Step 2 — Three times a day, take three slow breaths. Three different times each day, pause whatever you are doing and take three slow breaths. Use a hand on your tummy if it helps. Take your time. The whole thing only takes about thirty seconds.

You can do this:

• In the morning before school or breakfast
• In the middle of the day at recess or lunch
• In the evening before dinner or before bed

You can also do this any other time — before a hard moment, after a fun moment, when you feel something big, when nothing is happening.

Step 3 — Write one short note. After each three-breath pause, write one short note on your sheet. Just a few words. Examples:

• "Morning, before school. Felt calm."
• "Middle, at recess. Felt excited still."
• "Evening, before bed. Felt tired and quiet."

You do not have to write a lot. One short sentence is plenty.

Step 4 — Notice across the three days. When the three days are done, look at your sheet. What patterns do you see? Did breaths feel different at different times of day? Did slow breathing change anything? You do not have to figure this out perfectly. The Dolphin is just curious.

Step 5 — Share with a trusted grown-up. Show your sheet to a trusted grown-up. Tell them what you noticed. Ask them: "Do you ever take slow breaths during the day?" Listen to their answer. Many grown-ups do this too without ever talking about it.

Step 6 — Keep the sheet. Save your breath sheet somewhere safe. You might want to look at it again later.

What You Will Get From This

You will start to notice your own breath in a new way — not just during one minute of this chapter, but across normal days. You will practice a tool you can use any time, anywhere, for free, forever. You will share something small with a trusted grown-up.

That is a tiny habit. It is also a strong skill. The Dolphin thinks both are true.

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Vocabulary Review

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Chapter Review

These questions are not a test. They are a way to check what you remember. Take your time. Look back at the lessons if you need to. There are no tricks.

1. Where does air go when you breathe in?

2. Name two ways your breath changes during a normal day.

3. What can slow breathing help with?

4. Name three signals that mean breath is hard in a way you should tell a grown-up.

5. What is the Dolphin's rule about holding your breath underwater?

6. If you or someone near you is choking or cannot breathe, what is the first thing the Dolphin says you should do?

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Instructor's Guide

This guide is for parents, caregivers, teachers, and other grown-ups using this chapter with a child in Grade 3 (ages 8-9).

What This Chapter Teaches

This is the first chapter the child will read about breath in the CryoCove Library. It is the foundation. The chapter teaches three big ideas at age-appropriate depth:

1. Your body and breath. Breath happens on its own and yet can be paid attention to — the dual automatic/voluntary nature of breath is what makes it unique among body functions. The path of breath is taught at the simplest level (nose/mouth → throat → chest/lungs → back out), with no anatomical depth beyond "two soft springy parts called lungs." The chapter introduces asthma normally and explicitly in Lesson 1, framing it as a condition many kids have — inhalers are medicine, not failure. Inclusion of kids with breathing differences is load-bearing throughout.

2. Breath and feelings. This is the chapter's heart and the deepest cross-tier intersection with the Brain (Turtle) chapter. The child learns that big feelings change breath, that slow breathing can help feelings settle, that this is something people have done for thousands of years, and that breath is one tool — talking to a trusted grown-up is another. The chapter offers age-appropriate slow-breathing practice (three slow breaths with a trusted grown-up) but explicitly avoids prescribing specific counts, durations, or branded protocols. Slow breathing is framed as a general human practice — never as a protocol.

3. When breathing is hard. This is the safety-critical lesson, paralleling the prior G3 Lesson 3 structures. The child learns to distinguish normal hard breath (after running, crying, scared) from tell-a-grown-up hard breath. Seven warning signals are taught explicitly. Asthma is treated again with detail (what to do during a flare-up, how to be a good friend to someone with asthma). Choking awareness is included briefly. The chapter's most distinctive safety message is the breath-holding-underwater rule: kids never hold their breath underwater on purpose for fun, especially not after taking lots of fast breaths first. The Dolphin metaphor (dolphins do it because their bodies are built for it; human bodies are not) makes this teachable at G3 depth. The two-tier protective framing matches prior G3 chapters: everyday breath worry → trusted grown-up; emergency → 911 via a grown-up.

What This Chapter Does NOT Teach

This chapter is intentionally light on certain content that becomes appropriate at later grades — and rigorously avoids one content area entirely:

• NO BREATHWORK PROTOCOLS. No branded breathwork methods, no specific counts or durations, no hyperventilation training, no breath-hold practice. Slow breathing is framed as a general human practice ("a few slow breaths can help when feelings get big") without prescriptive counts, durations, or rates. Children are not taught any protocol that could be replicated unsafely.
• No respiratory physiology vocabulary beyond simplest. Diaphragm, alveoli, trachea, bronchi, vagus nerve, CO2/O2 chemistry — none of these are named at G3. Grade 6 introduces the basics.
• No breath-rate math. Grade 6 covers tidal volume and breaths-per-minute arithmetic.
• No detailed asthma medical content beyond inclusion and basic plan-for-flare-up framing. Treatment specifics are routed to the child's doctor and trusted grown-ups.
• No pandemic-era respiratory illness content. Editorial guidance excludes pandemic-era topics across the curriculum; this carries forward to the breath chapter specifically, where the temptation is greatest.

If your child asks questions in these areas, the best answer is: "That is a great question. Let's figure it out together." Then you, the trusted grown-up, decide what to share.

How to Support the Child

A few things you can do that align with the chapter's framing:

• Practice three slow breaths together. The chapter explicitly invites the child to do this with you. Honoring that invitation matters more than the specific timing or technique.
• Notice your own breath out loud, sometimes. "I'm taking a slow breath right now because I'm a little frustrated." Modeling the noticing makes it normal.
• Never call your child's anxious breath a problem. Fast breath during feelings is biology, not misbehavior. Validate the feeling first, breath second.
• Be matter-of-fact about inhalers and asthma. If your child has asthma, treat the inhaler like glasses or any other medical tool — necessary, normal, not shameful. If your child does not have asthma, model kindness about kids who do.
• Be firm about the breath-holding underwater rule. This is one of the most underrecognized child-water safety messages. The chapter teaches it; please reinforce it at the pool, lake, or any time water comes up.
• Be firm about choking-prevention basics. Sit to eat, cut up grapes and hot dogs, no playing while chewing, no small things in mouth. These are old rules that still save lives.
• Be the one your child can come to about a breath worry. The chapter explicitly tells the child to talk to a trusted grown-up. Make sure they know you are that grown-up.

Watching for Warning Signs

Children ages 8-9 are not too young to develop concerning breath patterns or anxiety patterns that present as breath difficulty. The chapter is preventive, not reactive. But if you notice any of the following, please contact your pediatrician or a qualified clinician:

• A child showing acute warning signs (cannot catch breath, wheezing not relieved by usual inhaler, bluish lips, cannot speak in full words, severe chest tightness) — this is acute and warrants 911 / emergency care.
• A child with asthma whose asthma seems to be flaring more often or harder than usual.
• Persistent breath-related anxiety or panic.
• Breath-holding behaviors as an attention-seeking, distress, or protest pattern in a child this age — sometimes a sign of underlying distress.
• Any mention of not wanting to be here, wanting to hurt themselves, or feeling hopeless — these require immediate response.

Verified resources (May 2026):

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, 24/7.
• 911: for any acute medical or safety emergency, including breath emergencies (severe asthma flare not responding to inhaler, choking, blue lips, loss of consciousness from any cause).
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741, 24/7.
• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357, 24/7.
• National Alliance for Eating Disorders: 866-662-1235, weekdays. Licensed therapists. Generally not first-line for breath concerns but available if breath worries appear alongside body-image worries.
• Your pediatrician is the best starting place for any non-emergency breath concern. For asthma specifically, an established relationship with the pediatrician and an up-to-date asthma action plan are what research consistently shows protects children best.

Note: the NEDA helpline (1-800-931-2237) is not functional as of this writing. Use the National Alliance for Eating Disorders number above if relevant.

Pacing

If you are using this chapter in a classroom:

If you are using this chapter at home, two lessons per week is comfortable. Lesson 2 benefits from being done alongside a trusted grown-up because the lesson invites the child to practice three slow breaths together. Lesson 3 is the longest and most safety-critical; budget extra time, and the underwater-breath-holding rule is worth reinforcing every summer.

Lesson Check Answers

Lesson 1.1:

1. Air goes through the nose or mouth, down the throat, and into the lungs (two soft springy parts in the chest). Then back out the same way. 2. Because the body needs something from the air to do its work, and the body lets go of something else it is done with. (At G3 depth — chemistry comes later.) 3. Any two of: running, walking, sitting still, sleeping, getting scared, getting excited, crying, laughing. 4. A condition some kids have where breathing can get harder sometimes. Kids with asthma have grown-ups and doctors who help them. No — asthma does not mean a body is broken. The body just needs a little extra care with breath. 5. The child's own observation. Any honest answer is correct.

Lesson 1.2:

1. Any two: faster, sharper, jumpy, tight in chest, shallow. 2. With big feelings — slow breathing can help feelings feel a little smaller. It does not fix every feeling. 3. The child's own answer. Any honest answer is correct — calm, wiggly, no change, all valid. 4. No. When breath is not enough, tell a trusted grown-up. 5. The child's own observation. Tummy, chest, both, or somewhere else — all valid.

Lesson 1.3:

1. Any two of: cannot catch breath even after resting, chest feels tight, wheezing, lips/fingers/skin turning blue or gray, cannot speak in full words, coughing that will not stop, choking, asthma inhaler not helping, "something just feels wrong with my breath." 2. A small medicine that helps open up breath tubes when asthma is acting up. No — using an inhaler is not weak. It is medicine, like any other medicine. 3. Because human bodies are not built to hold breath underwater the way a dolphin's body is. Holding breath underwater can make a person pass out without knowing — especially if they took lots of fast breaths first. It is dangerous even for strong swimmers. 4. Yell for a trusted grown-up right away. The grown-up will help and may call 911. 5. Tell a trusted grown-up right away. The grown-up can call a crisis line or 911 if needed.

Chapter Review Answers

1. Through the nose or mouth, down the throat, into the lungs in the chest, then back out. 2. Any two of: faster when running, slower when resting, slowest when sleeping, fast when scared/excited, sharp when mad, jumpy when crying, slow when calm. 3. Slow breathing can help feelings feel a little smaller. It does not fix every feeling. 4. Any three of the signals listed in Lesson 3. 5. Kids never hold their breath underwater on purpose for fun. Especially never after taking lots of fast breaths first. Kids and water = trusted grown-ups always around. 6. Yell for a trusted grown-up right away. The grown-up will help and may call 911.

Discussion Prompts

Open-ended questions to ask the child after the chapter:

1. What is one thing you noticed about your own breath while reading this chapter?
2. When did you last feel a big feeling? What was your breath doing during it?
3. The Dolphin says you can pay attention to your breath any time you want. When is one time today you might try that?
4. If you have a friend with asthma (or could imagine one), what is one kind thing you could do?
5. Why do you think the Dolphin is so firm about not holding breath underwater for fun?
6. The Turtle taught about feelings. The Dolphin teaches about breath. How do they connect for you?
7. What was the practice with the three slow breaths like for you?
8. What is one thing about your breath you would like to ask a trusted grown-up about?

Common Child Questions

• "Why don't I think about breathing if I have to do it all the time?" Because your body has a part of itself that runs breathing without you. It is one of the smartest things your body does. You can pay attention to your breath when you want — but you do not have to. Your body has you covered.
• "Why do I yawn?" Yawning is a special kind of deep breath. Scientists are still studying why we yawn. It seems to happen when we are tired, when others around us yawn (yawning is contagious!), and sometimes when we need to wake our brain up.
• "What if my friend has asthma? Should I be scared?" No. Asthma is common and usually well-managed with medicine. Be a kind friend. If your friend says their inhaler is not helping, tell a grown-up right away. Otherwise, just be the friend you already are.
• "Why does my breath get fast when I am scared?" Your body has a built-in alarm that gets you ready for action. Fast breath brings in more air, in case you need to run or do something quick. It is your body taking care of you. As the scary feeling passes, your breath slows down again.
• "My friend dared me to hold my breath underwater. Should I do it?" No. Tell your friend you read about this in school. The Dolphin says human bodies are not made for that, and people have been hurt doing it. A real friend will understand.
• "What is hiccups?" Hiccups happen when a muscle under your lungs (called the diaphragm) twitches by accident. Hiccups are usually harmless and go away on their own. Lots of grown-ups have favorite tricks for stopping hiccups — ask one of them about theirs.
• "Why do I cough?" Coughing is your body's way of clearing something out of your throat or lungs. A cough usually goes away in a few days when you have a cold. If a cough lasts a long time or makes it hard to breathe, tell a trusted grown-up.
• "What if I cry so hard I can't catch my breath?" That happens to most kids sometimes. It will pass. A trusted grown-up holding you, three slow breaths, or just sitting still for a minute usually helps. If it keeps happening or feels really scary, tell a grown-up about it.
• "I saw a video of a breathing trick. Should I try it?" Ask a trusted grown-up first. Some breathing tricks for grown-ups are not for kids your age. The Dolphin will teach more about breath as you get older. For now, slow breaths when you have a big feeling are plenty.

Parent Communication Template

Dear families,

Your child is beginning the first chapter of the CryoCove Library Coach Breath curriculum — Breath and Your Body. This is a Grade 3 chapter at the very start of a long curriculum that will continue through high school and beyond.

What the chapter covers:

• What breath is and where air goes when you breathe (nose/mouth → throat → lungs → back out)
• That breath changes throughout the day depending on what you are doing and how you feel
• Asthma normalized and included throughout, with inhalers framed as medicine and not failure
• That big feelings change breath, and that slow breathing can help feelings settle (general human practice, not branded protocol)
• A simple three-slow-breaths practice the child is invited to do with a trusted grown-up
• The difference between normal hard breath (after running, crying, scared) and tell-a-grown-up hard breath
• Seven warning signals that mean breath needs grown-up attention right away
• The breath-holding-underwater safety rule (one of the chapter's most distinctive teaching messages)
• Choking awareness briefly (sit to eat, eat slowly, no small things in mouth, tell a grown-up if someone is choking)

Tone: The chapter is curious, playful, calm, and consistently inclusive. The Dolphin character invites the child to notice their own breath. Asthma is treated with explicit normalization and kindness. The Dolphin never compares one child's breath to another.

What this chapter does not teach: any branded breathwork methods, prescriptive breath-hold or hyperventilation practices, specific breathing counts or durations, detailed respiratory physiology vocabulary, breath-rate math, detailed asthma medical content beyond inclusion and basic friend-and-grown-up framing, or any pandemic-era respiratory illness content.

End-of-chapter activity: Your child is invited to practice three slow breaths, three times a day, for three days, and to write one short note after each. They will then share the noticing sheet with a trusted grown-up (you, if available). The activity invites you to also notice your own breath and share with the child. Please support this — it is one of the few G3 chapter activities that actually has the child practicing something rather than just noticing.

A note on Lesson 3: Lesson 3 covers what to do when breath gets hard. It teaches the seven warning signals, the breath-holding-underwater rule (with the Dolphin metaphor that makes the rule memorable at G3 depth), choking awareness, asthma flare-up guidance, and uses 911 framing for emergencies at age-appropriate depth. It also mentions crisis resources (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741; SAMHSA) at the same "grown-ups can call these if you need help" framing used in the prior G3 chapters. If you would like to read Lesson 3 alongside your child, that is welcome — and may be especially valuable if your child has asthma or if your family has water in your summer plans.

Warning signs we ask families to notice: Beyond the acute breath-illness signs the chapter teaches, please watch for any child showing unusual breath-holding behavior, persistent breath-related anxiety, asthma worsening, or any mention of not wanting to be here. The chapter does not introduce or normalize any breathwork practice that could be replicated unsafely.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your child's teacher or to us at the CryoCove team.

Warmly, The CryoCove Curriculum Team

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Illustration Briefs

Lesson 1.1 — The Path of Breath Placement: After "The Dolphin Watches." Scene: A simple side-view illustration of a child's body showing the path of breath. An arrow goes in through the nose, down through the throat, and into two soft pink lung shapes inside the chest. Then the arrow comes back out the same way. Labels: "Air in" with arrow going down, "Air out" with arrow going up. Coach Breath (the Dolphin) is drawn beside the child, smiling and pointing one fin at the chest. The Dolphin has a small playful sparkle in its eye. Mood: clean, friendly, curious, never anatomical-medical-scary. The child is shown with a peaceful expression, eyes half-closed in attention to their breath. Show diverse skin tones across the chapter's illustrations. Aspect ratio: 16:9 web, 4:3 print.

Lesson 1.2 — A Child and the Dolphin Take Slow Breaths Together Placement: After "Slow Breathing Can Help Feelings Settle." Scene: A simple, calm scene of a child sitting cross-legged on the floor with one hand on their tummy and one hand on their chest. Their eyes are softly closed. Around them, gentle wavy lines suggest slow breathing. Coach Breath (the Dolphin) is shown beside them, doing the same — one fin on its belly area, eyes calm, with the same wavy lines around it. A small soft glow surrounds both figures, suggesting peacefulness without being magical or new-agey. Mood: gentle, friendly, accessible. Show diverse skin tones across illustrations. Avoid any imagery that could read as meditation-marketing or yoga-studio aesthetic. Aspect ratio: 16:9 web, 4:3 print.

Lesson 1.3 — A Trusted Grown-Up Helps With Hard Breathing Placement: After "Normal Hard Breath vs. Tell-A-Grown-Up Hard Breath." Scene: A simple, calm scene that does NOT scare the reader. Show a child sitting on a couch or chair with a slightly worried face, one hand on their chest. A trusted grown-up is kneeling beside them, gently helping — maybe holding an inhaler at the ready, or just sitting close, with a kind, calm face. The grown-up has an attentive, focused look — not panicked. Coach Breath (the Dolphin) is shown nearby, watching with calm care. Around the picture float small word-bubbles: "breath," "tight," "tell a grown-up." Mood: safe, warm, never panicked, never scary. The illustration teaches that the right response to hard breath is calm grown-up help — not fear. Show diverse skin tones. Aspect ratio: 16:9 web, 4:3 print.

Optional — Lesson 1.3: The Underwater Breath-Holding Rule Placement: After "A Special Rule About Holding Your Breath Underwater." Scene: A simple, clear illustration showing the rule visually. Foreground: a child standing at the edge of a swimming pool with a trusted grown-up close by, both wearing swimsuits. The child is taking a normal breath before lowering into the water (not holding it). Both are smiling. A label above reads: "Swim with grown-ups close. Never hold your breath underwater for fun." In the background, the pool is shown calmly, with no other children attempting risky behaviors. Coach Breath (the Dolphin) is shown to one side, swimming peacefully — under water — with a label or speech bubble explaining "Dolphins are built for this. Human kids are not." Mood: safe, factual, never scary or graphic. The illustration shows the right thing — supervised swimming, no breath games — not a frightening counterfactual. Show diverse skin tones and body sizes. Aspect ratio: 16:9 web, 4:3 print.

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Citations

1. Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. H. (2017). Principles of Anatomy and Physiology (15th ed.). Wiley.

2. American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on Pediatric Pulmonology. (2019). Pediatric Pulmonology (Light, M. J., Homnick, D. N., Schechter, M. S., Eds., 2nd ed.). American Academy of Pediatrics.

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Most recent national asthma data. National Center for Environmental Health, CDC. cdc.gov/asthma.

4. Brown, R. P., & Gerbarg, P. L. (2005). Sudarshan Kriya yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression: part I — neurophysiologic model. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 11(1), 189-201.

5. Russo, M. A., Santarelli, D. M., & O'Rourke, D. (2017). The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe, 13(4), 298-309.

6. American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention; Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness. (2010). Prevention of drowning. Pediatrics, 126(1), e253-e262.

7. Pearn, J. H., Franklin, R. C., & Peden, A. E. (2015). Hypoxic blackout: diagnosis, risks, and prevention. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 9(3), Article 3.

8. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. (2020). 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines. NIH Publication 20-HL-8140.

9. Liem, J. J., Kozyrskyj, A. L., Cockroft, D. W., & Becker, A. B. (2007). Asthma prevalence and asthma medication use in children and adolescents: a population-based study. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, 3(2), 36-44.

10. Telles, S., Singh, N., & Balkrishna, A. (2011). Heart rate variability changes during high frequency yoga breathing and breath awareness. BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 5, 4.

11. Jerath, R., Edry, J. W., Barnes, V. A., & Jerath, V. (2006). Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system. Medical Hypotheses, 67(3), 566-571.

12. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention. (2010). Prevention of choking among children. Pediatrics, 125(3), 601-607.

13. Zideman, D. A., Singletary, E. M., De Buck, E. D. J., Chang, W. T., Jensen, J. L., Swain, J. M., Woodin, J. A., Blanchard, I. E., Herrington, R. A., Pellegrino, J. L., Hood, N. A., Lojero-Wheatley, L. F., Markenson, D. S., & Yang, H. J. (2015). Part 9: First aid: 2015 International Consensus on First Aid Science With Treatment Recommendations. Circulation, 132(16 Suppl 1), S269-S311.