Blowing Bubbles 

Blowing bubbles with your little person is a great and fun way to help them regulate their nervous system when they are feeling wobbly or overwhelmed. 

As counsellors, we know that big deep belly breaths, or diaphragmatic breathing (developed by Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard University's Mind/Body Medical Institute), is a powerful tool when it comes to regulating our nervous system.  

But how do you coach your little one to stop and practice deep belly breathing… especially when they have big feelings in their little worlds? 

1. Change scenery

Firstly, changing scenery and connecting with nature is a good start. Heading out to the backyard with the fresh air and grass under our toes can help 'ground' your little ones.

1. Give them Choice

Give your little person an opportunity to choose* their bubble wands' colour, size or shape. This gives them 'choice' and even in small amounts - 'choice' can help your little person feel that they have some level of 'power' or 'control' in a situation that may feel out of their control.  

*Remember - This requires preparation – having a bucket ready with a number of different bubble wand options is key!

1. Have Fun

When they have chosen their bubble wand – let them start blowing bubbles… and just have 'fun'! The emotion of 'fun' triggers our brain to dump dopamine (a neurotransmitter) into our bodies. Dopamine helps our bodies – feel happy, motivated, alert and focused.  

1. Start the Deep Breathing

Make a game of it! See who can take the deepest breath or who can blow the most number of bubbles. This is where you come in as a parent/carer to mirror/coach them how they are to do it:

1. Breathe in deep – through your nose. For a count of 4

1. Hold your breath for a moment.

1. Then breathe out – emptying all your air from your diaphragm. For a count of 4 or longer.

You can jump back and forth from making it a game to them just having fun. The added benefit when you do this with your little person, is YOU will also regulate your nevous system by doing the breathing, plus your little person will have had the opportunity to find a 'connection' with you through the process of this activity. 

Why does Deep Breathing work? 

The activity of deep breathing causes our diaphragm to move, which in turn stimulates our vagus nerve. Our vagus nerve runs through part of our diaphragm (esophageal hiatus), and it is the primary circuit to our parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is best known as the ‘rest and digest’ part of our nervous system, so when it is activated, our body moves into relaxation mode.   

So, by doing intentional deep breathing, we can ‘trick’ our vagus nerve into taking action, allowing us to move our body from a hyper or distressed state into a more relaxed state. 

Emily Banks - Counsellor MelinaJBW

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2022, March 23). Dopamine. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org...

Elias. (2024, November 3). The Role of the Vagus Nerve in Managing Stress: How Breathing Can Calm Your Mind and Body - Breatheology. Breatheology. https://www.breatheology.com/h...

NeuroLaunch. (2024, September 30). Brain Chemistry of Happiness: Understanding the Neuroscience Behind Joy. NeuroLaunch.com. https://neurolaunch.com/what-c...

Pincott, J. (2024, December 17). How the Vagus Nerve Could Influence Physical and Mental Health. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican...