New ideasfor therapeutic groups-children

Happy-ER-RN, RN · Jun 1, 2006

I worked with kids with behavioral probs. This is kind of simple, but I used to do a lot of groups that would incorporate a big red ball. I would have everyone sit in a circle on the floor. Then I would ask a question, if I was just trying to have fun it may be something like what's your favorite animal. Or to be more serious I might ask: tell me a time when somebody hurt your feelings. Then you bounce the ball once and someone catches it and has to answer. Then you can discuss the situation and educate, then the child bounces the ball to another until everyone has the chance to answer. I used this method for all kinds of different goups. It worked well unless I had an especially rowdy group and they would just play with the ball and ignore the goup!

It's been a long time so I can't really think of any others right now--I'll let you know if I can think of them.

romie · Jun 2, 2006

You could have the older kids make "album art" or CD covers for an imaginary album that they are releasing. Have them come up with names for 10 songs-- these are imaginary songs and must have descriptive titles. Then create album art. The idea is that this CD they are putting out is expressive of some of their pscyhosocial problems.

Younger kids might enjoy making a group scupture using found items including chenile pipe cleaners, styrofoam cups, hangers, feathers, clothes pins, colorful string, and anything else you can think of. Break the kids into groups of 4-6 and have each group create scuptures using the same excat amount and type of materials. The point is to encourage cooperation and share in the group process.

Music therapy is wonderful for children. Have a board certified music therapist come to your unit and run a few sessions and give you ideas. Remember that you cannot call it music therapy unless it is being done by a board certified music therapist.

CharlieRN · Jun 2, 2006

What you can do is dependent on the cognitive level and cooperativeness of the group. Frequently, when dealing with kids with behavioral issues, they may not be willing to cooperate with any program you propose. It is a matter of self esteem. If they cooperate, they have lost face. If faced with that kind of problem, assess what your real goals are for the group. Will it be ok to just can the group? Or are you expected to "keep them busy" for 45 mins? Can you allow the resistent kids to do something else? Or do you have to keep everyone in the group?

If you can't just allow the kids who don't want to perticipate to skip the group, then it may work to toss the problem to them. Something on the order of, "We have to spend the next hour in this group. What would you guys like to talk about? I had these ideas, ... But I'm flexible. " All groups of adolescents will talk about sex and drugs sooner or later. Be prepared to deal honestly with these subjects.

Another useful technique is to get them to teach you something. Kids are always being told what to do and think and how to do things. They have a hunger to be on the other side of the desk. I once had to deal with a potentially disruptive mentally retarded girl. She was too limited to partiscipate in whatever the other kids were doing. I got her to teach me to play a children's board game. I told her I would be happy to play with her but I did not know how. Which was honestly true, although I could have found out in 3 mins by reading the instructions. She very happily spent an hour teaching me to play "chutes and ladders". She gained self esteem and self confidence and a respit from being told what to do.

I must stress the importance of being honest with kids at all times. They are used to being given slanted imformation designed to shape their behavior, and have excellent "bull sh*t" detectors.

LydiaNN · Jun 2, 2006

''Emotions graffiti'' - you cover the wall with butcher paper and write down several emotions that the children might be working on. Separate them into columns and then invite each child to ''tag'' the paper in a way that expresses the emotion for them. They take turns explaining their work to the rest of the group.

''Wheel of Feelings''- somewhat similar, except the kids spin a wheel and tell a story that reflects whatever emotion they landed on.

Divide the kids into groups and have them ''build'' an elephant. Each group is given the same materials with which to work, but each elephant is going to look significantly different than the others. A variation on this theme is to give each child clay, Play-Doh or Model Magic (a clay like foam made by Crayola and found in the art supply aisle) and read instructions, one step at a time, for them to follow in creating something with the material. Again, even though each child has heard the same instructions, each creation will look very different.

Let the kids create a scrapbook page. You can buy scrapebook kits at Wal-Mart for much cheaper than purchasing individual supplies.

leah164 · Jun 12, 2009

Try http://www.youthwork.com/activitieswarm.html