Online curriculum for children and families impacted by grief

If you have questions or would like guidance around this curriculum, contact us! We are still available by phone and email. Leave us a message and we will get back to you promptly.

(520) 322-9155 | [email protected]

Topic: Problem Solving

No one likes having a problem! Problems show up uninvited, making us feel worried and annoyed. We can pretend our problems don’t exist, we can hide from them, and we can constantly worry about them. Usually when we do these things, we don’t feel better. In fact, we end up feeling worse. When we face our problems, we can start to feel better because it means we have an opportunity to solve them and find hope.

We understand that facing our problems can be stressful and scary. These different activities may help our bodies and our minds feel prepared to face our problems…

Start this activity by following along with Serena as she reads “What Do You Do With a Problem?” written by Kobi Yamada and Illustrated by Mae Besom. Thank you to the Publisher of this book, Compendium!

Our Bodies

The Turtle

  • Start by standing with your feet apart and your shoulders relaxed.
  • Next, bring your bottom down to your feet and sit on the floor. Your knees should be bent and your feet flat on the floor.
  • Now, bring your legs in close to your body and wrap your arms around them.
  • Take a deep breath and put your head down on top of your knees. You may even close your eyes. Now, staying there, give yourself a big squeeze and slowly count to 5.
  • You can do The Turtle as long as you need to or want to. You may stop when your body feels calm and safe.

The Butterfly

  • Start by sitting or standing, whichever is more comfortable, and hold your arms straight out in front of your body.
  • Bring your left hand on your right shoulder. Bring your right hand on your left shoulder.
  • Gently use your hands to squeeze your shoulders and take a deep breath in.
  • Blow your deep breath out and relax your hands on your shoulders. Think of it as, “breathe in and squeeze – breath out and release.” You may even close your eyes.
  • You can do The Butterfly as long as you need to or want to. You may stop when your body feels calm and safe.

Spaghetti Body

  • Have you seen cooked spaghetti noodles? They are wiggly and loose, almost like they feel relaxed. When you feel tension in your body, you can make your body loose like spaghetti noodles. To get your Spaghetti Body, your body needs to go from tense and tight to loose and relaxed.
  • Let’s start with our hands: make a fist and squeeze tightly! Take a deep breath in/out and relax your hands, wiggle your fingers, and make your hands very loose.
  • Now try your arms: hold them down at your side and make them as straight and tight as you can. You can even make a fist again! Take a deep breath in/out and relax your arms/hands. Let them hang loosely at your sides.
  • Now, try your whole body! Make your body as tight as you can! Take a deep breath in/out and totally relax: let your body feel wiggly, loose and relaxed.

Our Minds

Activity: Safe Place Imagery

Draw a picture of a safe place. This safe place can be real or imaginary. It does not matter what this place is as long as you feel safe, calm, and comfortable when you picture yourself there. When you have a problem, picture your safe place in your mind to help you feel better.

Our Bodies & Minds

Activity: Chuck-It Bucket

Supplies Needed:

  • A bucket, bin or box
  • Paper slips
  • Something to write with

Steps:

  • Place an empty bucket, bin, or box somewhere in your house where it is easily accessible for everyone.
  • Make sure to keep paper and things to write with next to the bucket.
  • When someone in the family experiences a problem, they can write it down or draw a picture of it.
  • Then, let it go by crumpling it into a ball and chucking it away into the bucket!

Not only can this help externalize problems and remove them from the forefront of our minds, it allows us to be silly and have some fun together.

We’d love to see what you working on!

Share how you’re doing this activity with us by sending pictures to [email protected]! And remember, we are available for support at (520) 322-9155.

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