Calm Breath Superpowers Lesson Plan
Pre-K & Kindergarten Physical Education
Calm Breath Superpowers
Duration: 30 Minutes
Setting: Gym / Circle Spot Spots
Lesson Focus & Movement Objectives
- Somatic Awareness: Identify chest vs. belly expansion through guided tactile touch.
- Self-Regulation: Transition safely from high-energy aerobic movement to stillness.
- Breath Mastery: Execute 5 breathing patterns with synchronized body gestures.
Materials Needed
- Spot dots / Sit markers
- Visual cue cards
- Chime or drum (cue)
0:00 - 0:05
Segment 1: Body Check-in & "Wiggle-Freeze" Warm-up (5 Min)
Cardio to Stillness Transition
1. Spot Check: Students stand on their color spot dot in personal space ("magic bubble").
2. High-Low Cardio Wake-up: 30s jumping jacks / kangaroo hops → 30s fast march in place → 30s wiggle dance.
3. Freeze Cue: Strike the chime! Teacher calls: "Freeze like an ice statue! Hand on your heart. Is it beating fast or slow?" Guide students to feel their heart rate and rapid breathing.
0:05 - 0:22
Segment 2: Direct Practice & Repeat – 5 Breath Superpowers (17 Min)
Explicit Modeling • I Do, We Do, You Do
1 Balloon Breath (Belly Expansion) • 3.5 Min Cues: Expand & Deflate
Teacher Script: "Place both hands on your tummy. Imagine your belly is a big colorful balloon. Breathe in through your nose and blow up the balloon—make your hands push out! Now open your mouth and whoosh out the air as the balloon gently goes down."
Movement Reps: 3 slow balloon inflations + 1 "silly balloon pop" where students clap hands overhead on the exhale.
2 Flower & Candle Breath (Sensory Control) • 3.5 Min Cues: Sniff & Soft Blow
Teacher Script: "Hold up one hand like a pretty flower 🌸 and one finger like a birthday candle 🕯️. Sniff the flower deeply through your nose... mmm! Now gently blow out the candle with your mouth without blowing it over!"
Movement Reps: 4 alternating cycles (Left hand flower, right hand candle, switch). Focus on slow, soft candle blowing.
3 Bumblebee Breath (Vibrational Calming) • 3.5 Min Cues: Hum & Buzz
Teacher Script: "Cup your hands gently near your ears like little bee wings 🐝. Deep breath in through your nose... close your lips and hum: 'Bzzzzzzzzzz!' Feel the tickle in your cheeks and throat!"
Movement Reps: 3 quiet bee hums. Flap gentle elbow "wings" during the hum. Emphasize long buzzing exhales.
Calm Breath Superpowers • PE Teacher Instructional Guide Page 1 of 2
Direct Practice (Cont.) & Whole-Group Application
Segment 2 (Cont.) & 3 & 4
4 Rainbow Breath (Whole-Body Bilateral Movement) • 3.5 Min Cues: Reach Up & Paint Down
Teacher Script: "Stand tall like a mountain. Arms by your sides. Breathe in as you paint a giant rainbow reaching high overhead touching your fingertips! Breathe out slowly as your arms paint down to your sides."
Movement Reps: 4 arc reaches. Call out colors on each reach: "Red & Orange... Yellow & Green... Blue & Purple!"
5 Five Finger Starfish Breath (Tactile Tracing) • 3 Min Cues: Trace Up & Trace Down
Teacher Script: "Spread one hand out wide like a starfish ⭐. Use your pointer finger of the other hand. Inhale as you slide UP the thumb... pause at the top... exhale as you slide DOWN! Repeat for all 5 fingers."
Movement Reps: Complete all 5 fingers on Left Hand, then switch and trace the Right Hand.
0:22 - 0:27
Segment 3: "Breath DJ & Freeze Statues" Game (5 Min)
Kinesthetic Application
• How to Play: Play upbeat gym music. Students gallop, tiptoe, or side-slide around their spots. When music stops, teacher holds up one Visual Breathing Card (e.g., Bumblebee).
• Student Action: Students freeze immediately on the nearest spot dot and perform 2 full cycles of the displayed breathing superpower.
• Variation: Let student "Super Breath Leaders" take turns selecting the next cue card to show their peers.
0:27 - 0:30
Segment 4: Cool Down, Reflection & Line-up (3 Min)
Calm Exit Routine
1. Seated Reflection Circle: Criss-cross applesauce. Hands on knees. Teacher prompt: "Show me with your fingers (1 to 5) which breath made your body feel most calm today."
2. Whisper Line-up: Students tiptoe to line like bumblebees with silent finger antennas.
Differentiation Strategies
Pre-K: Focus primarily on the physical action & tactile feedback (holding belly, smelling real-life flower imagery). Keep counts to 2-3 seconds.
Kindergarten: Introduce pauses at the peak of inhale. Encourage students to name scenarios where they can use their superpowers (e.g., feeling upset, before a test, bedtime).
Quick Observation Rubric
Mastered: Matches inhale/exhale with physical cues independently.
Developing: Follows movement gestures; rushes breath timing.
Needs Support: Struggles with body stillness during freeze cues.
Calm Breath Superpowers • PE Teacher Instructional Guide Page 2 of 2
Breath Superpower Visual Cards
PE Breath Superpower Cue Cards
Cut along the dotted lines or laminate for station posters
Pre-K • Kindergarten
1
Balloon Breath
Belly Expansion Power
Big Belly Inhale
Hands on Belly Feel your tummy fill up!
1
Hands on Tummy
Sit tall and place both hands flat over your belly button.
2
Fill the Balloon (Inhale Nose)
Breathe in deep through your nose. Push your tummy out big and round!
3
Whoosh it Out (Exhale Mouth)
Open your lips softly: "Whoooosh!" Feel your tummy shrink back down.
PE Chant: "Blow up the balloon, big and wide... let out the air with a gentle slide!"
2
Flower & Candle
Sniff & Soft Blow Power
Smell Sweet • Blow Soft
Left: Flower | Right: Candle Use your imagination hands!
1
Hold Up Your Hands
Cup one hand like a blooming flower 🌸 and point one finger like a candle 🕯️.
2
Sniff the Sweet Flower
Bring the flower to your nose and take a slow, gentle sniff... "Mmmmm!"
3
Blow the Candle Gently
Turn to your candle finger and blow softly so the flame dances out!
PE Chant: "Smell the sweet flower in the sun... blow out the candle, one by one!"
PE Breath Superpower Cue Cards
Cut along the dotted lines or laminate for station posters
Pre-K • Kindergarten
3
Bumblebee Breath
Buzzing Vibration Power
Humming Exhale
Gentle Ear Covers Feel the bumblebee buzz inside!
1
Wings on Cheeks/Ears
Gently rest your hands on your cheeks or cup your hands over your ears.
2
Breathe In Big & Close Lips
Fill your lungs with fresh air through your nose, keeping lips softly closed.
3
Hum Like a Bee
Make a long, quiet humming sound: "Bzzzzzzzzzz!" Feel the tickle in your mouth!
PE Chant: "Little busy bee in the tree, hum your calm breath down to me!"
4
Rainbow Breath
Whole-Body Reach Power
Reach High • Paint Down
Giant Rainbow Arms Reach from floor to the sky!
1
Stand Tall like a Mountain