Feelings Building
Suggested Group(s): Preschool/Young/Middle
Purpose: To help the children move towards the pain of loss in a safe environment
Task/need: Moving toward the pain of the loss, acknowledging the reality of the loss, living on the grief spiral
Activity Setup Ideas:
- Introduce the activity by discussing the difficult feelings that the children may have. There may be feelings that they have but don't want to keep inside.
- Explain that they will be building a "feelings building" out of blocks where they can put all of their feelings and thoughts, both difficult and easy.
- What might a building that holds sad feelings look like (i.e. an angry building)?
Materials:
- Wooden blocks
- Paper
- Crayons or Markers
Description: Have the children either draw pictures or write words that express the thoughts and feelings that they find difficult and don’t want to keep inside.
As a group, build a large building from the blocks, allowing each child to take part in the building and allowing the group to dictate how the building looks.
After the building has been built, have them crinkle up the feelings that they have written or drawn and name the thought or feeling on the paper. They may share feelings out loud or keep them to themselves. Finally, have them throw each picture or word in the building.
Activity Wrap Up Ideas:
- Tell the children that while they have put the tough feelings in the building here, there will be other tough feelings at different times in their lives.
- Ask them where they might be able to put their feelings when they are not at the Caring Place.
Suggestions: You may decide to focus on a particular feeling for this activity. For example, you may direct the children to hold a structure that holds mad or scary feelings. These may elicit different types of structures.
