Animals need air to live — Biology, 4–6 years
Breathing brings air into an animal’s body. Air contains oxygen, which the body uses to release energy from food.
Breathing is air going in and out
When you breathe in, air moves into your lungs. When you breathe out, air moves back out. Fish also need oxygen, but they take it from water with their gills, while insects take air through tiny openings in their bodies.
Why do animals breathe?
Animals need a way to get oxygen because their bodies are always working, even when they are still. Oxygen helps cells use food for energy. Watching a chest rise and fall gives us a visible clue to a hidden job inside the body.
Count breaths
Sit quietly and watch a person’s chest for one minute. Count each rise as one breath; perhaps you count 20. After running, count again for one minute and perhaps get 35. The body is working harder, so breathing becomes faster to bring in more oxygen.
The trap: breathing is not the same as eating
Because food gives the body energy, it is easy to think that breathing simply fills the body with air. Breathing and eating are different jobs. Food provides fuel, while oxygen helps the body release energy from that fuel.
Breathing when we play
You notice breathing in everyday play: after climbing stairs or running, you breathe more quickly. Resting lets the breathing slow again. This is a useful body signal, but very difficult breathing, pain or a blue colour needs an adult’s help at once.
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