Calm Breathing Bracelet

Make a take-anywhere, calm, breathing reminder with these beautiful bracelets.

Overview & Purpose

• Beaded bracelets are easy and fun for both adults and children to make.

• They can be a great way to connect to your favourite calm colours and can be used as a wearable calm down tool.

• These bracelets can be worn as a gentle reminder to check in with your breath when strong emotions or situations arise.

• Each bead can be touched or counted while paying attention to SLOWLY breathing in and SLOWLY breathing out. This gives your body and mind a little break, so it can reset and recover.

Your brain benefits too. Strong and stressful emotions can fire the amygdala (the fight or flight part of the brain) and this can be good, but you don’t want to get stuck in the stress, so SLOW breathing can help shift the focus to your prefrontal cortex (the place where you do your thinking and creating). See how to do the calm breath after the bracelet instructions.

Education Goals

1. Emotional regulation and awareness.

2. Empowering, self-care.

3. Focusing the mind on the breath while the fingers sense the beads.

4. Creativity, small motor skills.

Objectives

1. Choose calming colours, beads can any different material. (crystal, wood, glass, or plastic)

2. Make a wearable bracelet.

3. Learn and practise a deep calm breath. Use it as a calming tool

Materials Needed

How to Make a Calm Breathing Bracelet

1. Place your towel in front of you-this is your work area and keeps the beads from rolling everywhere.

2. Measure, Cut and Stretch: I like to measure and cut a 12” (30.5cm) piece of stretchy plastic string so I have plenty to work with. DON’T SKIP THIS NEXT PART:  Hold each end of your plastic string and give it a gentle stretch. This is important for two reasons: 1-The bracelet won’t stretch too big after you’ve worn it a lot and, 2-When you tie it, you won’t be left with loose gaps between the beads.

3. Measure your wrist and add ½” (1.27 cm). This will be the approximate length of the beaded part of your string-I don’t it cut to size yet because you need extra length for tying.

4. Put masking tape on one end before you start so you don’t lose your beads as you work. (optional)

5. String your beads-all one colour, a mix or a pattern, it’s up to you-have fun. SEE PICTURES BELOW…

6. Sizing and Tying: Check the measurement of the beaded part of your string-it should be close to your wrist size plus ½” (1.27 cm). Carefully remove the masking tape. If it looks pretty close then tie a regular double knot- This is the Test Knot that I use for trying on and checking  the size of my bracelet-IT WILL COME UNDONE! If the sizing isn’t right then you can carefully untie it and add or take away beads. Some people prefer a loose fit and others don't, it's your choice.

7. Final Tying: If you’re satisfied with the the size of your bracelet then you’re ready for the final tying. Start with it untied. Tie one regular knot, then a second one and pull it tight from the loose string ends and bracelet bead side, and then I tie a third knot-this is the one that locks the first two knots-pull this one tight on both sides too. This step can be tricky so take your time.

Using your Calm Breathing Bracelet

• Use it as a Reminder: notice, or touch your bracelet to use it as a reminder to check in with what you’re feeling.

• Use it as a Practise Tool for calm breathing: See 1. & 2. below.

1. Begin by Practising the Slow Calm Belly Breath.

This breath is the CALM BREATH. One way to learn it is to lie down on the floor, otherwise try it standing. With your hands on your belly try to feel your tummy expand out as you breath in and flatten as you exhale-don’t force it with tension, do it gently. Another way to practise is to feel your lower ribs expand out. If you feel your shoulders going up your breath is getting shallow and it won’t relax you. Let your mind follow the air in from the tip of your nose, and down deep into the body. Notice it turn around and flow back out. Remember to always inhale and exhale SLOWLY so you don’t feel dizzy or lightheaded.

2. Breathe with your Calm Breathing Bracelet.

While wearing or holding your bracelet, touch, or slide the first bead, and breath slowly and deeply, down into the belly/ribs. Then touch the second bead as you breathe out. Follow your breath with your mind. Remember to go very SLOWLY. Continue around the bracelet touching each bead-you don’t have to go all the way around. Just try a few beads to start.

OR

SLOWLY breathe in while sliding or touching the 1st and 2nd (or more) beads and then as you breathe out move the next few beads. Have fun, make up your own gentle rhythm. 

Your body will feel calmer, be able to think more clearly, and your brain will thank you for the calm re-set!