You can make this just as a conversation or as a beautiful art project, whichever you and the kids like the most! An art project might be tracing the child's hand on the paper and writing the answer on each finger or making a big hand in the poster with other drawings and colors decorating and with just one category of a few categories blended. You can even make it a dual exercise where one hand represents 5 things that I'm happy for and 5 things that I feel sad or mad about (or any other contrast of negative and positive feelings)
This exercise asks kids to name 5 things under each category (they may ask if they can mention more, that's totally fine! Also, they might not get to 5, you can say "That's fine, how about we come back to it later." or if doing this as a conversation before bedtime, "How about you think about it when you go to sleep and we check again tomorrow?". I recommend not giving them ideas, let them come up with their own answers (and do not correct their answer or ask "How about..." whatever you think they should have mentioned; there are no correct answers and we want them to develop their own voice and their confidence in their capacity to come up with their own answers and trust in themselves).
Category ideas:
5 things I like about myself
5 things I am thankful for
5 kinds to send to others (it might help if you say to think about someone, without telling them who to think about, what kind thing would you like to say to them?)
5 things I like about my family
5 feelings I have had today
5 good things about my day
5 things I enjoy doing
5 favorite memories
5 things I wish to do
This exercise gives children the opportunity to practice introspection and can also be a wonderful tool to learn more about them and what is going on in their minds. Using fingers (you can help them by keeping count with your own hands or writing it on paper) gives them a tangible thing to keep focused on the activity. It can easily be a 5-minute chat before bedtime or a longer activity as described above or with your own creativity and the child's. Thaina Cordero is the Care Coordinator at Cypress Wellness Center. She has an MS in Educational Psychology, is a trauma-informed certified yoga teacher, and is a doctoral student in a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology program at Modern Sex Therapy Institute. Thaina can help you find a therapist that best suits your health and financial needs. Reach out for questions about billing, insurance, or inquire about our services, staff, and programs. Email: thaina@cypresswellnesscenter.com
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