Grief Duck, Duck Goose
Suggested Group(s): Young
Purpose: To give the group members an opportunity to share about their grief experiences
Task/need: Group building, acknowledging the reality of the death
Activity Setup Ideas:
- Explain that while sharing about themselves or their grief experiences may be difficult around people who are not grieving, the Caring Place is a place where we hope that people can safely share their thoughts and feelings. This game is an opportunity for group members to share and support each other's sharing.
- Review the "I-pass" rule
- Review the game rules
Materials:
- None
Description: Grief Duck, Duck Goose is played like the regular Duck, Duck Goose childhood game. Everyone sits in a circle on the floor. One person is "it" and walks around the outside of the circle, gently patting each person on the head and saying either duck or goose. When the person who is "it" says goose, the person who was patted on the head, rises and chases the person around the circle and tries to get to the empty spot first. Whoever is left standing is now "it" and has the opportunity to share something about himself or herself or about the person who died in their family.
Activity Wrap Up Ideas:
Note some common threads that came out in the conversation & ask if there are more commonalities that people can think of in the group.
Suggestions: This can be altered into a Feelings Duck, Duck Goose where the person who is left standing shares a time when they felt a particular feeling, such as they can share a time they were sad or a happy time or a time they felt angry.
