Lesson 8. Anchor Breathing

Guided Breathing Exercise | 5:16 | Anchor Breathing 

Educators |

Today we will be learning about ANCHOR BREATHING. Anchor Breathing helps you connect with the calm place within yourself when you are feeling worried or stressed.

  

Let’s begin |

 

Reflection |

• Is everyone confident they know where their Anchor Point is? 
• Was everyone able to focus on their breathing through their Anchor Point without getting distracted by thoughts, or sounds?
• Was this easy or hard?

 

Mindfulness Lesson | 5:00 | Why We Need Anchor Breathing?

Educators | 

The objective of today's lesson is to help the students understand how the breath can act as an anchor to the present moment, assisting with emotional regulation, focused attention and stress management.

Note: It is important that students have listened to the Anchor Breathing Exercise before beginning this lesson.

 

What is Anchor Breathing? |

Anchor Breathing is focusing on our breath slowly moving through our Anchor Point.

Invite students to share if they can remember where the three ANCHOR POINTS are found in the body?

1. Under the nose
2. Chest 
3. Belly

 

Discussion | 

Show students an image of a boat and an anchor. Discuss with students, what is the purpose of the anchor for the boat?

You may wish to use a whiteboard and brainstorm ideas.

 

Examples may include |

• The anchor can keep the boat in a calm bay.
• The anchor stop's the boat from drifting away in a storm,

 

ANCHOR BREATHING helps us in the same way as an anchor on a boat. When we breathe in and out of our ANCHOR POINT it stops our minds from drifting away.

When you are getting carried away with unhelpful or negative thoughts in the playground, feeling anxious or nervous before a game or a test ANCHOR BREATHING helps to settle and calm your mind again. 

That’s what we are trying to achieve when we practise mindfulness. We want to keep our minds in a calm space and in the present moment.

 

Mindfulness Exercise | 5:00 | Anchor Breathing With Gentle Distractions 

Educators |

Focus, concentration and breathing.

 

Let's Begin |

Invite students to demonstrate where their favourite Anchor Point is, the one that felt most comfortable to them in the previous breathing exercise.

1. Under the nose
2. Chest 
3. Belly

Allow students to close their eyes if they feel comfortable, sit for 10 seconds with 1 hand on their ANCHOR POINT gently breathing in and out of this part of their body.

Now let your students know you are going to make some gentle noises. Ask your students to listen to the sounds for a moment then you will say the word 'ANCHOR'!

When your students hear the word 'ANCHOR" ask them to bring their focus back to their ANCHOR BREATHING, noticing every breath moving slowly and calmly through their ANCHOR POINT.

 

Ready, let's begin |

• Ring a bell, and gently say the word 'ANCHOR!'
• Clap your hands loudly, and then gently say the word 'Anchor!'
• Put on some calm music that everyone loves, and say the word 'Anchor!'

After a few moments ask your students to open their eyes if they had them closed.

 

Reflection |

• How does everyone feel after this Anchor Breathing exercise?
• Was it easy or hard focusing on your breath through your Anchor Point today? 
• Would it get easier to focus on your breathing through your Anchor Point if you practised?
• How does it feel, knowing you have your own Anchor Point?

 

Mindful Life Practise | 

Ask students to practise their Anchor Breathing for a few minutes every day.

 

Remind students that whenever something in their lives makes them upset it creates a storm in their lives. Noticing this storm will give them the opportunity to use their ANCHOR POINT and practise their ANCHOR BREATHING returning their minds to a calm space in the present moment.

 

Remember to practise your new mindfulness skills and your meditation 'Anchor Breathing'.  Have Mum or Dad listened to any meditations with you. Maybe this is a good one for them to try?

Guided Meditation | 7:16 | 'Anchor Breathing'

 

Educators |

When asking the students to close their eyes remember some students may not feel safe. Suggest that they can focus their gaze on the floor in front of them, but it is helpful not to get distracted by looking around. 

 

Let students know | 

This is their special time to relax and calm their mind and body. Invite your students to sit or lay in a comfortable position and gently close their eyes. If thoughts come and go that's ok.

 

Let's begin | 

Isabelle's "Anchor Breathing" Guided Meditation for Children is the final for meditation for Program 1, and, is one of the most important. Children are introduced to the concept of breath as an anchor.

Anchor Breathing connects us to that deep calm inside our bodies whatever emotions we are experiencing; sadness, anger, worry. When we breathe deeply we can be calm again. 

 

Mindful Game | Breath and Straw Game

Teamwork, focus, breath and awareness

 

You will need |

• Enough straws for each student
• Paper torn into small pieces
• 2 - 3 boxes or bowls depending on how many students.

 

Let’s Begin |

1. Split the children into 2 - 3 even teams
2. Scatter small pieces of paper on the floor in front of each team. Aim for at least 20 torn pieces for each team. Different coloured paper is a good idea for each team.
3. Next place a flat bowl or small box a few feet away from each team. Each team has their own bowl or box to fill on the other side of the room, or at least a few feet away.
4. Give each student a straw
5. Play music and ask 1 child at a time from each team to use the straw to breathe in and suck up the paper and walk over to the box to quickly drop it in.
6. Breathe out to drop the paper in
7. Once the paper is in the bowl or box the student must quickly walk back to their team before the next student in the line can go.
8. The first team to place all the pieces of paper in their bowl or box wins.

 

A little more fun |

• Repeat the game if there is enough time, you may wish to move the bowl or box further away.
• To make the game more challenging you may also suggest if the student's paper falls from the straw before reaching the box the student must quickly walk back to their team before the next student in the line can go.
• It’s also fun if every student goes at the same time to fill the box or bowl with their teams coloured paper spread around the room. The first team with all their coloured paper in the box or bowl wins.

 

Journal | PNG Format |

Educators |

Slide your students' journal to your desktop and print.

Certificate for Students | PNG Format |

Educators |

Slide your Students Certificate to your desktop, select and print.