Have you ever asked your child how they feel, and they say “I don’t know”?
That’s because naming what’s happening inside isn’t always easy- even for adults!
At Breathwork for Children CIC, one of the things we explore in every session is the difference between emotions and feelings, and how understanding that difference helps children feel calmer, safer, and more confident in themselves.
What’s the difference?
- Emotions are biological. They live in our body and are part of our nervous system’s natural response to the world around us.
They might feel like a racing heart, wobbly knees, tense shoulders, or butterflies in the tummy.
Emotions happen first, they’re fast, automatic, and physical. - Feelings are psychological. They’re the words and thoughts that come after the emotion, how our mind interprets what our body is feeling.
For example:- Emotion: heart racing, clenched fists
- Feeling: “I feel angry.”
- Emotion: butterflies, wide eyes
- Feeling: “I feel excited!”
Why teaching this matters
When children learn to separate emotions from feelings, they begin to:
– Understand their body’s signals (What am I feeling in my body?)
– Find the words for their feelings (Can I name it safely?)
– Use their breath to self-regulate (How can I calm and ground myself?)
This emotional literacy is the foundation of healthy self-regulation. It helps children:
- Feel safer in their bodies
- Communicate their needs
- Build empathy and connection with others
- Develop lifelong coping skills
How we teach it through breathwork
In our breathwork sessions, we make this learning playful and accessible:
- We explore emotions through colour (e.g. red for anger, blue for calm)
- We use characters like Flo the Jellyfish or Toby the Tiger to guide breathing stories
- We encourage children to map where they feel emotions in their bodies
- Then, we practise a calming or energising breath to respond to what their body needs
Over time, this helps children realise that emotions aren’t “good” or “bad” they’re messages from the body asking for attention, support, or rest.
Final thoughts
Understanding emotions and feelings gives children language and tools to navigate their inner world with confidence and compassion.
Through gentle breathwork, mindful awareness, and creative play, we can help them build a lifelong foundation of emotional resilience, one grounded breath at a time.
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