Helping Hands
Suggested Group(s): Young/Middle
Purpose: Identifying sources of support for children in your group
Task/need: Experiencing continued support, living on the grief spiral
Activity Setup Ideas:
- Think of one of the worst days you’ve had in the past month. Have you been able to talk to anybody about your tough days? How do they help you out? What are the benefits of having somebody to talk to when you’re having a tough day?
- Are there friends, family members, teachers, coaches, neighbors, pastors or others that you can talk to?
- I want you to think of all of the people that you have in your life that you can talk to when you are going through tough times and make a list of as many as you can think of.
Materials:
- Large construction paper
- Construction paper
- Markers
- Crayons
- Tape/stapler
Description: Have each child write a list of people that he or she can go to for support or help. For each person on the list, have the child trace a handprint and write the name of the support person on the hand. They can decorate it to reflect who that person is and what type of support they receive from that person.
Have the child cut out the hands and attach them with glue, tape or staples to the larger construction paper in any way he/she chooses.
Activity Wrap Up Ideas:
- Process this task by asking group members if they would like to share their work. Probe to see if there are any additional people that they would like to receive support from and how they may be able to get more support.
- Ask if there was any pattern as to how the hands were arranged on the paper.
Suggestions: Group members may have a difficult time identifying their supports and may need some examples.
Adaptations: This activity can be adapted to give messages to the person who died who is physically beyond the touch of the group members. Substitute messages to the person who died on the hand for the support words.
