Breathing Forest Lesson Plan Breathing Forest
Teacher's Facilitation Guide
Ages 2-4
Learning Goals
• Coordinate slow breathing with touch.
• Identify "big feelings" (anger/sadness).
• Use their hand as a portable calm-down tool.
Materials Needed
• Calm Forest Slide Deck
• My Hand Forest Activity Sheets
• Crayons (Green/Brown)
Lesson Sequence
1
The Scent of the Forest (Warm-up)
Invite children to sit in a circle. Ask them to pretend they are entering a magical, quiet forest. Practice "Smelling the Pine" (breath in through nose) and "Blowing the Leaves" (breath out through mouth).
"Can you smell the pine needles? Deep breath in... now blow the autumn leaves away! Shhhhhhh."
2
Meet Your Finger Trees (Instruction)
Show the slides. Explain that our fingers are like little trees in a forest. When we feel "stormy" (angry) or "rainy" (sad), we can visit our forest to feel calm.
Demonstrate tracing: Point to the bottom of the thumb. Trace up (Breathe In), Trace down (Breathe Out).
3
The Hand Forest (Practice)
Distribute the activity sheets. Guide children to trace their own hand on the paper first, then practice the breathing technique while tracing their drawing.
Tip: For younger toddlers, physically guide their finger over the drawing to help them sync the movement with the breath.
4
Forest Whisper (Closing)
Ask children: "Where is your forest?" (They point to their hand). Remind them that their forest is always with them, even at lunch or nap time!
Teacher Tips
If they go too fast:
"Imagine your finger is a tiny snail crawling up the tree. Snails move very slowly!"
When to use it:
During transitions between high-energy play and quiet time, or when a child is visibly frustrated.
Breathing Forest Slides The Breathing Forest
A quiet place you carry in your hand.
Big Feelings?
Stormy (Angry)
Rainy (Sad)
Sometimes our hearts feel noisy. It's okay to visit our quiet forest.
Look at Your Hand!
Your fingers are like 5 little trees.
When we trace them, we help our bodies feel calm.
The Magic Secret
Go UP
Smell the Pine (Breathe In)
Go DOWN
Blow the Leaves (Breathe Out)
Let's Visit the Forest
1 Hold your hand out wide.
2 Start at your thumb.
3 Trace all 5 fingers slowly.
4 Now you feel calm!
Your Forest is Always With You.
Whenever you feel a storm coming, just look at your hand and take a walk through the trees.
My Hand Forest Activity My Hand Forest
Trace your hand and grow your trees!
Name: ____________________
Date: ____________________
How to play:
Put your hand in the box. Trace it! Then, trace the lines to breathe slowly.
Breathe In
Breathe Out
Place Hand Here
Up = Smile at a tree
Down = Blow the leaves
Forest Friend Warmup Pre-Lesson Warm-up
Forest Friend Warm-up
A gentle movement and sensory activity to prepare toddlers for calm breathing.
1. The Pine Smell
Pretend you found a tiny pine needle on the ground. Pick it up with two fingers.
"Take a deep sniff of that fresh forest smell... and let it out with a quiet 'ahhh'."
2. Growing Tall
Crouch down small like a seed. As you breathe in, grow slowly into a giant oak tree.
"Reach your branch-arms way up high! Now sway in the breeze as you breathe out."
3. Quiet Squirrel
Listen! The forest is very quiet. Can you move your fingers like a tiny squirrel?
"Wiggle your fingers fast... then stop. Shhh. Feel how still your hands can be."
Teacher Focus
Observe which children are struggling to settle.
Keep your own voice low and melodic.
Use exaggerated facial expressions for "breathing in".
Transition quickly to the Slides after Step 3.
