Cotton ball racing helps teach children about the movement of air out from the lungs and into the atmosphere. Hand each preschooler a straw. Mark a long rectangular table with a colorful piece of tape at the end to mark the finish line. Place a cotton ball on the opposite end of the table. Have each child race to blow the cotton ball past the finish line using the straw. If you have a hardwood or other hard surface floor, perform the activity on the floor instead, as this allows for more left and right movement without the cotton ball falling off the table.
Party favor horns provide another opportunity for preschool children to experience hands-on learning about breathing. Party horns extend a rolling piece of paper each time a child blows into them, as well as create a noise. Have the children practice breathing control by blowing soft, blowing hard, blowing fast and blowing slow. Talk about how the different types of breathing affect both the unfolding paper and the sound of the horn.
Musical breathing activities help teach your preschoolers how breathing can be manipulated, such as the types of breathing required for playing a musical instrument. Invite a local musician from your community to come in and show your children how they have to breathe to play their instrument correctly. Ask the musician to teach the children the basics of how to breathe correctly when playing and encourage them to try breathing like the musician.
Blowing bubbles take controlled soft breathing to create the structure of the bubble without breaking the film. Have each child practice controlling the airflow from their lungs by blowing soft enough to create bubbles.