Over the past few months, we have shared many different activities to help you honor your loved ones, express your feelings, and talk about your grief. Everyone expresses their grief in many different ways and it can be helpful to try various activities. Sometimes drawing, writing, and even listening to music can bring about understanding and comfort. Allow yourself time to reflect, to be in the moment, and share your journey with others. Here are a few more activities that you can try at home with your family.
Dragon Breathing Toilet Paper Roll: Children Activity
Supplies: Toilet paper roll, construction paper, cut tissue paper strips, poms, tape, glue stick, marker, and tacky glue
Your child will be creating a fire-breathing dragon with your help from these steps:
- Put glue on one side of the construction paper and stick it to the tube.
- Wrap the construction paper around the tube so it is covered, and fasten it with glue.
- Put a piece of Scotch Tape over the seam to secure.
- Using Tacky Glue, glue googly eyes to poms.
- Put two dots of tacky glue at the top of the roll to glue poms as the dragon’s eyes.
- Use marker to color nostrils.
- Put glue on the top half of the inside of the tube.
- Attach tissue strips to the top half.
This activity is inspired from the book, My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing By Nick Ortner and Alison Taylor
Graffiti Wall: Pre-teen Activity
Supplies: Sharpies and light color paper
Construct a “wall”. Using markers write comments on your wall. These comments are things that have bothered you since the death, words to describe your grief, pictures/designs of what you think grief would look like, things describing your loved one, your grief feelings etc. Drawings, pictures, words, colors any way you want to make your graffiti wall. Share with a family member if desired.
Map Your Heart: Young Teen Activity
Supplies: Paper and markers or crayons
Draw a picture of your heart-literally. Fill in the shape with images of the things you desire, dream of, and love. You can find photos, or simply assign a colored section to each corresponding desire. However, you do it, your heart will be full, both literally and figuratively by the time you finish.
Draw in Response to Music: Teen Activity
Supplies: Any music you like, markers/sharpies, pen or pencil, and paper
Music is a form of art that is often said to move you. Energize, relax, and otherwise give attention to your feelings and mood by simply putting a pen or pencil to paper and moving it as the rhythm dictates. Sharp music may prompt you to draw jagged edges or bold lines; softer music may encourage you to draw waves. Instrumental music can be a more effective stress-buster. If more formalized images begin to emerge, allow it – the point is to allow for creation without expectation or restraint.