Colour Breathing Calm Down Technique

The following exercise can be used to help when you or your child need help in managing anxiety and calming down.

Deep breathing has been found to be one of the most effective techniques for helping people relax and disipate anxiety. It is especially useful as can be practiced anywhere and does not rely on any external props! The exercise below is an adaptation and includes a visualisation and a self coaching affirmation.

Go through the steps below with your child and have them practice it repeatedly so that when they need to rely on it and you’re not around such as when at school, they can quickly draw on it with ease InShaAllah.

1. Ask your child to think of a colour they associate with feeling calm or being relaxed.

2. Have them tune into their breathing, noticing where they feel it in their body.

3. Have your child imagine their breath being their chosen colour.

4. Instruct your child to take a big slow and deep breath in through their nose right down into their tummy and slowly out again.

5. As your child breathes in and out they can say in their minds an affirmation. For example, as they breath in they can say,  ‘I’m breathing in calm’ and as they breath out they can say ‘I’m letting go of my worry’. They can repeat Islamic sayings or phrases such as ‘La illaha illa Lah’ or make up their own sayings such as  ‘Allah is with me’.