Kids Breathing — with Resonant Breathing Pet
· v1.4.0
About
A breathing companion on your child's wrist that helps them wind down at bedtime — no screens, no battles, no distractions. Designed for ages 6 and up.
Your child picks a pet — Cat, Dog, or Dino — and that friend stays with them every night. The pet breathes at a steady resonant pace, configurable from 5 to 9.5 breaths per minute to suit children and teens, and as its belly gently expands and contracts, your child breathes along. Gentle vibrations guide every inhale and exhale, so they can close their eyes, snuggle into their pillow, and feel the rhythm even in the dark.
The display is red-shifted to reduce blue light at night. If your child drifts off mid-session, the app saves and shuts off on its own.
Two breathing modes: symmetric inhale/exhale for everyday calm, or longer-exhale for when your child is especially wound up — a longer exhale is associated with parasympathetic activation, which helps the body shift toward rest.
Meet the pets
- Cat — curious and bold
- Dog — loyal and calm
- Dino — brave and kind
Your child's choice is saved between sessions, so their pet is always there waiting.
Why Kids Breathing?
- True Phone-Free Hygiene: Designed to run natively on your child's watch. No games, no videos, no notifications — only a pet companion to breathe along with.
- Sleep-Ready Display: Red-shifted display reduces blue light at night. Haptic vibrations guide each breath, so your child can keep their eyes closed. If they fall asleep, the session saves and shuts off on its own.
- Privacy First: We value your privacy. Kids Breathing does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data. Sessions are recorded as standard Garmin activities through your watch — the app itself sends nothing beyond what Garmin handles natively.
About the breathing rate
Typical adult resonant frequency is 5–6 breaths per minute. For children, with smaller bodies and vascular systems, the corresponding range is described in the HRV biofeedback literature as roughly 6.5 to 9.5 breaths per minute (Shaffer & Meehan, 2020). Younger or smaller children generally do better at the higher rates; older or taller children and teens at the lower. The app lets you adjust within 5 to 9.5 breaths per minute to find what feels right. The breathing should feel comfortable and calming.
Session length
Even a minute or two of slow-paced breathing can help children settle; longer sessions of 5 minutes or more are more typical when winding down for sleep.
Features
- Resonant breathing (also called coherent breathing), configurable from 5 to 9.5 breaths per minute
- Animated pet companion: Cat, Dog, or Dino
- Vibration guidance for eyes-closed breathing
- Symmetric or longer-exhale modes
- Session lengths from 1 to 60 minutes
- Red-shifted display, minimised blue light
- Auto-save if your child falls asleep
- Designed for ages 6 and up
How to use
Choose your child's pet, set the breathing pace and duration in Settings, and start the activity. Your child watches the pet's belly expand — or closes their eyes and follows the vibrations. Best used in bed, in a dim or dark room, as part of a wind-down routine.
About the developer
Kids Breathing was developed by a clinical psychologist based in Norway. The app is informed by research on resonant breathing and heart rate variability, and built around a simple idea: a breathing tool should work in the dark, without a phone, and without collecting your data.
Important note
Kids Breathing is intended for relaxation and general well-being. It is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition.
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Also Available: HRV Breathing — resonant breathing for adults (5–6 bpm). Search 'HRV Breathing' in the Connect IQ Store.
What's new
- Renamed from Pet Breathing to Kids Breathing
- Expanded breathing range: now configurable from 5 to 9.5 breaths per minute, tuned for children and teens based on HRV biofeedback research
- Added vibration strength control (light / strong) for inhale and exhale cues
- Recommended age updated to 6+