Family Portrait

Suggested Group(s): Young/Middle

Purpose: To share about their family and the changes that may have taken place in that family now that one member has died

Task/need: Acknowledging the reality of the death, relate the loss to a context of meaning

Activity Setup Ideas:

• Invite the children to visualize (eyes open or closed — as the individual members are comfortable) their family
• Who is in the family?
• What do they look like?
• What are their roles in the family or in the home?

Materials:

• White paper
• Markers/crayons
• Scissors
• Construction paper

Description: Have the children draw this family on paper. Give the children wide latitude to draw their family as they wish. Do not instruct them as to whether or not to include their deceased family member, but use the question to guide discussion if it arises. Get input from the group as to their thoughts and feeling about including the person(s) who died.

Activity Wrap Up Ideas:

• Invite group members to share their work.
• Use the follow-up time to invite sharing about:
  • Whether deceased members were included.
    • If so, where they were placed on the page.
  • How it felt to include or exclude them.
  • Other changes in the family since the person died:
    • Who takes out the garbage?
    • Who makes dinner?
    • Who plays with whom?
    • Who fights with whom?