Tough Feeling & Regret Creatures
Suggested Group(s): Middle/Teen
Purpose: To allow expression of less pleasant feelings and of regrets
Task/need: Approaching the pain of the loss, living on the grief spiral
Activity Setup Ideas:
- Discuss the tough feelings (fear, anxiety, and guilt), nightmares and regrets that they may have since their family members have died.
- Ask what they would like to do with those feelings and experiences.
Materials:
- Playdough
- Rolling pin
Directions: Mix a batch of playdough in several different colors and allow each group member to choose the colors that he/she wants to use. Have the children visualize the tough feelings or experiences with which they struggle. What do they look like? Are they cute and friendly looking or mean and menacing? Encourage the children to use the dough to create what they believe best represents the feeling or experience. It can be a 'creature,' a slab of dough with words written on it or just a 'blob' of dough. Once the representations are completed, give the children the option of 'smashing' these feelings and experiences with their hands or rolling over them with a rolling pin.
Activity Wrap Up Ideas: Use this activity to facilitate a discussion of both the feelings that the children have and ways that they have found to deal with the tough feelings. What do they do when they feel tough feelings like guilt, anger, fear? How do they manage nightmares, unpleasant memories and tough thoughts?
