Emotion Bingo
Suggested Group(s): Young/Middle/Teen
Purpose: To identify and explore feelings and encourage discussion of how they relate to the children's experiences.
Task/need: Group building, approaching the pain of the loss
Activity Setup Ideas:
- Begin with a discussion of feelings, especially those that the group members have experienced.
- Set the rules of the bingo game (cover all, four corners, etc.)
Materials:
- Set of "Bingo" cards blank spaces
- Set of feelings pictures for each child
- Plastic chips or markers
- A complete set of corresponding feelings on small cards
Description: Give the children the blank cards and a sheet of feelings expressions (ask staff to provide). Ask the children to select one box from each column to fill with hearts, butterflies or their name to act as 'free' spaces. Next, have them cut apart the sheet of feeling pictures and mix them. Then randomly tape a feelings picture on each open space, except for the pre-marked free spaces (see figure #2).
Pick one facilitator to be the caller. The caller draws the feelings cards one at a time and shares them with the group. As each word is called, the children put plastic chips on them as they appear on their bingo cards.
The first person to cover all of their words on their card yells "Bingo!" and shares with the others about the feelings. As the winner reads off each feeling, ask the rest of the group to contribute their experiences with those feelings.
Activity Wrap Up Ideas:
- Kids may be used to 'prizes' for games that they play in school. Rather than make this a competitive game, let the kids know that the 'prize' will be something available to all, such as some time for the entire group in the Activities Room. Congratulate them on being part of the group and give them some free time to play.
