At a Danish elementary school named Birkhovedskolen, the 2nd and 3rd grade classes have spent nearly a full school year (at the time of writing) using just a few minutes of Body and Breathing focus as a regular part of their daily routine.

The goal is the same for both grades: bringing calm and balance to the body - more specifically, to the brain and nervous system. And it works amazing!

2nd Grade uses a visual breathing guide on the smartboard

The 2nd graders use my Breathing Flower, which is projected onto the smartboard.

They start 10-15 lessons a week with a few minutes of focused breathing using the flower.

The teachers have shared different experiences of integrating the Breathing Flower into their classrooms, and I’d like to share some of their insights with you:

In the beginning, a few students didn’t participate, but most of them did.
Some said it made them feel calm in both body and mind - about 70–80% - and their calmness spread to the rest of the class.

After about three weeks, the practice felt natural to the students, and the initial distractions faded.

We’ve noticed that the children are more relaxed and calm after these few minutes of conscious breathing together. It makes it easier to get lessons started - especially group teaching at the board. There’s simply more peace and focus.

Especially at the beginning of a lesson, we see the students are more ready to learn.

Here are some of the words the children used to describe the exercise:

Comfortable – Makes me calm – Lovely – Relaxing – Nice – Beautiful colors

3rd Grade uses a small breath tool to guide exhalation

The 3rd graders use The Relaxator, which hangs near their coat racks.

They use it three times a day - morning, before lunch, and before going home. The routine consists of 10 breaths, with the final breath taken slower than the others. We started with resistance level 1 and gradually increased it as the students became more familiar with the technique. They’ve also learned to do the exercise independently.

The teachers also shared their thoughts on introducing the Relaxator:

After the breathing session, the children return to class calmly, and it’s easier to restore peace quickly after a break.

The students look relaxed - it’s clear they’ve found some inner calm. You can see it in their faces.

Their bodies seem more at ease. We combined the breathing with a simple movement: raising their arms while inhaling through the nose and lowering them while exhaling slowly through the mouth. This seemed to help them calm their bodies further.

It’s hard to say exactly whether their concentration improves after the break - but their calmness and relaxation likely support better focus.

The students have enjoyed the practice and even ask to do it, which suggests they find it soothing and helpful. The overall mood is positive, and there have been no conflicts during or after the exercises.

They’ve shown great interest and joy in the activity. They’ve been able to perform the exercises correctly, and the fact that they initiate it themselves shows they see it as something beneficial. The combination of arm movement and gradually increasing resistance helped them find the right rhythm and understand how long the breaths should be.

Here are some of the words the children gave in feedback:

Calms my body – Helps when I’m stressed –Makes me dizzy – Helps with focus – I don’t get hyper after breathing – I breathe better now – Can’t feel a difference – I feel relaxed – Feels weird in the mouth – Tastes like plastic – Feels strange when exhaling – Helps lower my pulse and body temperature – Makes me nauseous – Helps me relax at home (last breath before going home) – Helps me clear my thoughts after a conflict – Helps me calm down at the start of a lesson

My intention, practical work and wish for the future, is to make it possible for many more kids all over the Danish country, and yes beyond the country's borders.

Thank you from my Heart spending your time reading through this 💜