Coping Kit
Suggested Group: Young/Middle/Teen
Purpose: To promote a variety of healthy coping skills.
Task/Need: Living on the grief spiral, continued support
Activity Setup Ideas:
- The coping kit is made up of several activities. One or all of these activities can be used. These can be completed over multiple group nights if needed. Setting up stations in the room may be helpful in facilitating this activity.
- To begin, start a discussion with the group about the different types of feelings we have. Explain that we will be creating a Coping Kit that will help them deal with these different types of feelings.
Stress Balls
Activity Setup: Facilitate a discussion related to stressful times that the children have experienced and the feelings and actions associated with stress, anger, fear, etc. Explain to the children that we are going to make stress balls. They could keep it at home, school, in their book bag, or wherever they need it most. Use the stress ball anytime you have the feelings that were discussed.
Description: Pour an appropriate amount of sand through a funnel into a balloon and tie off the balloon. Don’t overfill the balloon or the stress ball will not be pliable.
Materials:
- Balloons
- Sand
- Funnels
Worry Stones
Background: Worry stones are smooth, polished gemstones usually in the shape of an oval with thumb sized indentation. They are also known as thumb stones or palm stones. They originated in Ancient Greece. Held between the index finger and thumb, rubbing them is believed to lessen one's worries.
Activity Setup: Facilitate discussion related to worry by asking: "Have you ever worried about something?" “What worries do you have since your family member died?" "What do you do with that worry?" Allow the children time to share and discuss. Explain that we are providing each child with a "worry stone" and explain its purpose from the background section above.
Materials:
- Worry stones
- Small bags
Mood Door Hangers
Activity Setup: Facilitate a discussion about feelings and how they can change every day or even within one day. Discuss with the children how and why it might be helpful for their family members to have an awareness of their mood at that particular time. Explain that the kids will be making door hangers so they can share their feeling(s) without verbal expression. Suggest that they hang it on the door of their room.
Description: Have children write various feelings on each side of the foam door hanger and decorate as desired. Provide a way for children to indicate their current mood on the door hanger. (e.g. a paper clip can be used to indicate/point to their current mood)
Materials:
- Foam door hangers
- Markers
- Glitter
- Glue
- Feelings word stickers
- Other decorations as needed
Punching Balloons
Activity Setup: Facilitate a discussion about angry feelings and how the children have dealt with those feelings in the past. Follow up by discussing what has been helpful and what has been hurtful to others and themselves. Offer an anger punching balloon as an option.
Description: Make sure the children write their names on the balloons. (They will be blown up ahead of time). Have the children write things on the balloons that make them angry. Allow them a chance to try them out.
Materials:
- Punching Balloons
- Sharpies
Feelings Recipe Boxes
Activity Setup Ideas: Start a discussion with the children about the different types of feelings we have. Explain to the children that holding our feelings in is not good because they may build up and come out stronger. Sometimes we express our feelings in unhealthy ways like hitting someone, putting someone down, lying around the house or sleeping all of the time. Explain that we are going to talk about ways in which we can cope with all the different feelings that we may have since our loved one has died.
Materials:
- Small box/recipe box
- Index cards
- Markers/crayons/colored pencils
- Other items to decorate their box
Description: Have the children brainstorm a list of different feelings they have had since their loved one has died. Write these words on a large sheet of paper or the board. Give each child a file or recipe box, marker and index cards. Have the children take an index card and write one of the feelings that were discussed (i.e. sad). Let the children draw a picture if they like on the front of the index card of someone with that feeling (looking sad). As a group, discuss safe ways children can express that feeling. After the group makes suggestions, have them write on the back of their card suggestions that they would use. Continue to do this for each feeling they would like to use.
Activity Wrap Up Ideas: Allow the children the opportunity to share their Coping Kit. Encourage them to take them home and utilize them when they have a feeling that is becoming overwhelming to them.
