Calming Bottles
Suggested Group(s): Young/Middle/Teen/Adult
Purpose: Identifying and managing difficult feelings
Task/need: Moving towards the pain of the loss, living on the grief spiral
Activity Setup Ideas:
- Brainstorm and create a list of feelings they have experienced since the loss.
- Discuss methods they have used to manage those feelings.
Materials:
- Empty water bottles
- Warm water
- Glitter glue
- Food coloring
- Beads, sequins, gems
- Hot glue gun
Description:
- Fill bottle 1/4 of the way with hot water.
- Add about 1/3 of a bottle of glitter glue.
- Secure lid and shake vigorously.
- Remove lid and fill bottle almost completely with water.
- If desired, add 2-3 drops of food coloring (recommend adding one drop at a time, then shaking to see the result and add more if needed).
- If desired, add a focal point (bead, sequin, gem).
- Glue the lid on with hot glue gun.
Things to keep in mind:
- Silver and Gold glitter glue seem to show the best when using food coloring.
- Dark glitter glue is difficult to see with dark food coloring (for example, blue glitter glue and blue food coloring).
Activity Wrap Up Ideas:
- Process with the group members how they felt after watching the calming bottles. Did it slow their mind down at all?
- The group members can take the bottle home to use as a coping tool.
