Box Breathing Guide
A glowing square expands and contracts through inhale, hold, exhale, hold with soft tones and a full-screen view, guiding a whole class through a calm reset together.
Built by the AbraCalc team
How to play
- Set how many seconds each phase should last: inhale, hold, exhale, hold.
- Choose how many rounds to run, then check the phase count and total time shown below.
- Tap Start to go full screen — the square grows and shrinks automatically with a soft tone at each change.
- Follow the label and countdown on screen until the round counter shows the class has finished.
Box breathing is a simple four-count pattern: breathe in, hold, breathe out, hold, each for the same number of seconds. This guide draws a glowing square that grows as the class breathes in, holds steady through each pause, and shrinks as they breathe out, so every student can follow along without reading a word. Set your own inhale, hold, and exhale lengths and how many rounds to run, then go full screen so the square is visible from the back of the room. Soft tones mark each transition, making it easy to reset a noisy classroom, calm pre-test nerves, or settle everyone after recess in under a minute.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I skip the hold phases and just do inhale/exhale?
- Yes. Set either hold field to 0 seconds and that pause is removed from the sequence entirely, leaving a smooth two-phase breathing cycle.
- Is this good for a whole class or just one person?
- It works for both. Run it full screen on a projector or shared display so every student can follow the same square, or use it solo on a phone for a quick personal reset.
- Why does the square change size instead of just showing numbers?
- A growing and shrinking shape gives non-readers and younger students a visual cue to follow, so the whole class can breathe together without needing to read text.