Breathing activities/Games
Breathing activities and breathing games can be enjoyable and they can also help you to keep your chest healthy. Everyone has mucus on their lungs, this is usually cleared when you take deep breaths like when you are exercising. Regular exercise that gets you slightly out breath is the best way of keeping your lungs clear. This can be walking, dancing, moving your own wheelchair or anything else that gets you moving, and you find fun. If you are unable to exercise, breathing activities are a different way to help keep your chest healthy, that you might also enjoy.
Breathing activities for you to try
There are lots of breathing different activities, here’s some that you might like to try
Blowing bubbles
- How many can you blow in one breath?
- How big can you make your bubble?
Blowing party whistles or musical instruments
- How loud can you be?
- How long can you keep the sound going?
Bubble Volcanoes
- This is an activity when you blow bubbles through a straw.
- Be careful to blow not suck!
- Do not do this activity if you are on a modified diet.
- You can add food colouring and a couple of drops of washing up liquid to water make coloured bubbles.
- How long can you blow for in one breath?
- Can you make the cup overflow with bubbles in one breath?
Blow football
- You can use ping-pong balls or cotton wool balls and straws to play a game of blow football.
- Practice your dribbling techniques.
- How far can you keep the ball rolling for in one breath?
Singing!
You don’t have to be in tune, put your favourite music on and sing along.
Laughing
Put on your favourite comedy on or listen to some jokes and laugh away.
Here’s some good breathing activities if you need help to move
- Whether you can stand or not, any activity that involves reaching upwards and over your head is great to give your ribs and lungs a stretch.
- Keepy-uppy – How long can you keep a balloon up in the air, by patting it with your hands?
- Moving your wheelchair around with your feet or arms
- Marching with your arms or legs whilst sitting.
- Wheelchair dancing.
- Basketball or other throwing and catching games.
- You can play ball games standing or sitting. Even with help, these are good activities to help deepen your breathing, especially if they make you laugh.
- A position change can be enough to help deepen your breathing.
- Rolling, being hoisted, being moved from lying down to sitting up, can all help you to take deeper breaths, even if someone else is helping you.
Which game is your favourite?
Do you have any other ideas?
