Water in the Face

This is always a fun game for those hot summer days when the patients (and us!) want to be outside and not stuck inside all day. This idea was found in the book Team Building Activities for Every Group by Alana Jones (available on Amazon). It's perfect for hot summer days when you're looking for a way to stay cool but don't want to get too wet. ;)

Water in the Face!

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Objective:
Practice social and communication skills in a fun, interactive game

Group Size:
8 or more

Materials:
Paper cup
Jug of water (or some other water source)
Towels

Description:
Gather the group in a circle, either sitting or standing.  One person stands in the middle holding the paper cup of water. (You can decide how full to fill it!) The person in the middle chooses a category (i.e., type of car, color, kind of cereal, ice cream flavor, candy, etc.) and tells the rest of the group the category.

The person in the middle secretly selects an item in the particularly category chosen! If you're worried about the person changing his mind, s/he may whisper his selected item to the facilator. Once the item is selected, the game can begin!

One at a time, each person in the circle guesses what the person in the middle is thinking of. Each person can only guess one item per turn, and cannot repeat what has already been said. As soon as one player correctly guesses what the individual in the middle was thinking of, that person gets the water splashed in his face! The correct guesser also becomes the next person in the middle of the circle.

Processing:
There are numerous ways to process this activity. You could talk about the importance of clear communication. You could discuss the necessity of social skills. Or you could have participants think about what it was like to have water thrown in their face and how we react to different things that happen in our life. Be creative! Use what happens during the group to lead where the processing goes, as that will help you best meet the needs of your clients.

Adaptations: I have also seen this done with the lid of a water bottle instead of a paper cup. This made it a little more "inside friendly" for patients that were not able to go outside for group.

Pinterest Link Up Party!!

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One of my favorite resources for fun ideas is Pinterest!!

I'm sure we all have our favorite boards of activity ideas, whether it's for rec therapy, teaching, entertaining the kids, or behavioral management tips. This week, I want to hear from ALL of YOU! Comment below with a link to your favorite pinterest board so we can all be inspired by one another! Or, post one idea you found on pinterest that has been successful for you! :)

I can't wait to see your comments!

Mandala Coloring Therapy

From Donica

Mandala Coloring Therapy

Size: Any size, any age

Equipment: Printer or digital graphics program like Paint Shop. For printed copy you'll want coloring gear like felt markers, watercolor paints, pencil crayons, glue and sparkles etc. Good posture is highly recommended while coloring; find a coloring location/posture that supports this.

Objective: Many people find meditation incredibly hard to get into, even though the benefits are well documented. With Coloring Therapy, a state of meditative awareness is easily attained, because the focus needed to gain observation of our inner dialogue occurs in the coloring.

SUMMER TIP FOR PARENTS: Going on a roadtip this summer? Looking for something to entertain the kids on those summer days when it's too hot to send them outside? Download some of these coloring pages and have a contest of who can color them the most elaborate. Or color it with only three colors. The possibilities are endless! 

http://www.free-mandala.com/en/start.html

http://www.doodle-art-alley.com/

P.S. Post some finished Mandalas in the comments so we can enjoy your artwork!! :)

Advertising

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From Donica

Advertising

Size: 2-10

Equipment: Magazines, Scissors, Glue, Construction paper, Markers, Pencils

Objective:

• To promote increased self-esteem
• To identify positive personality traits

Description: Introduce the group to advertisements. Talk about their purpose and the method in which ads get the message across - visually and with words. Ads promote the positive aspects of a product, the finer qualities. Ads also persuade a person into buying the product. The individual's task in this project is to come up with and advertisement persuading someone to be their friend. Individuals should depict positive aspects of themselves through pictures, words, or a combination of the two.

If an individual has a difficult time thinking of reasons someone would want to be their friend, have them think of characteristics they look for in a friend. At the end of the session have participants share advertisements with one another. Let other participants confirm the positive qualities of the presenter.

Let's Make a Leisure List!

From DONICA

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Leisure Lists

Size of Group: 4-12

Equipment: Pencil, paper, and leisure categories

FOCUS AREA: Benefits of Leisure

Description: Break the group into 2 to 3 groups. Begin discussion on favorite activities. On a large sheet of paper or white board, list the participant's favorite activities. Then, beside each person's favorite activity, list the + benefits they obtain from their preferred leisure.

Following discussion, begin the game of Leisure Lists. Break the group into 2 or 3 groups. Give the groups one minute to list as many Winter Activities on their sheet of paper. After one minute, turn the paper over and have the groups list as many "things found on a picnic."

This game is reminiscent of "Scattegories." After the 1st round, have the group with the most items listed read their list. If the other team(s) have the same item on their list, that item is crossed off on everyone's list. If no one else has an item (e.g., snow boarding), then the team gets one point. After team one has finished reading their list, the next team(s) read their list. The team with the most listed items wins the round.

You can continue with additional round with different leisure topics (things related to football, names of dances, things people collect).

Complete the activity with feedback from participants on what choices they might make when feeling depressed, bored, etc. and tie it in with the benefits they listed earlier.

EXPECTED OUTCOME: Participants will better understand how engagement in preferred activities can positively affect their feelings, moods, and thoughts.

SUMMER TIP for Parents: Use this to help your kids think of fun activities to do over summer break! Then create a master list and see how many of the activities you can do before school starts again! 

Summer Time!!

School is out and SUMMER is here!! I am so excited to share with you some of the awesome ideas I've seen in my work as a school psychology practicum student this year! Stay tuned for some fun ideas you can use at work, or with your family!