Breath Awareness / Mindfulness Workshop for Children
(Ages 8–11)

Supporting Children in Understanding Their Emotions, Needs, and Inner Rhythms

Children learn about themselves not only through words, but through the felt sense of their bodies. Breath is one of the simplest, most accessible ways for them to come back to themselves, especially in moments when emotions run high or things feel confusing. This workshop is built around the idea that when children can feel what is happening inside, they can understand what they need and express it with more ease. 

Life today asks a lot of young people. They move through busy school days, shifting friendships, family routines, and expectations. Their nervous systems are still developing, and they often do not yet have the tools to make sense of the big feelings that show up. 

Gentle, age-appropriate breathing practices can help children:

• Make sense of their emotions—not by pushing feelings away, but by learning to notice them and understand where they show up in the body. 

• Settle their nervous systems when things feel overwhelming, stressful, or too fast. 

• Feel more grounded and present, which naturally supports focus, learning, and calm communication. 

• Build body awareness so they can tune into what they need—rest, movement, space, help—and feel confident expressing it. 

The approach is playful, relational, and curiosity-driven. When children feel safe and engaged, the practices land more deeply.

Why Breathing Practice for Children? 

This six-session series introduces breath and mindfulness through play, exploration, and simple embodied exercises. Each session is built around a theme, such as grounding, noticing sensations, naming emotions, or expressing needs. 

Every session includes: 

• Breathing exercises woven into play and movement. 

• Games and activities that help children understand emotions. 

• Gentle mindfulness practices that build awareness and self-regulation. 

• Practical tools children can use at home or school when they feel stressed, overwhelmed, or unsure what to do next. 

The aim is not to “fix” emotions but to help children recognize, name, and navigate them with more confidence, and to trust that their feelings carry messages worth listening to. 

How the Workshop Functions

This workshop grew out of many conversations between Janine and Natela about the challenges children face today and the gaps we see in how they are supported. As mothers, they have witnessed first-hand how children flourish when they are given simple, embodied tools to understand their inner worlds. 

By bringing together Janine’s background in child psychology and nutrition with Natela’s experience in breathing and creative, play-based teaching, they created a program that helps children feel more at home in themselves. 

At the heart of this series is a simple message: 
Your feelings matter. Your needs matter. And your breath can help you hear both. 

Why We Created This Program