Creation and Practice of Therapeutic Activity
- The child’s name is George. He is eleven years old, and I can describe him as being jolly most of the time. He is a dare-devil and is rarely afraid of anything, including heights. He is curious as he is regularly asking questions about this thing or the other. I know him because he is my younger brother in a family of two. We have grown fond of each other by being the only children. My parents authorized me to use my brother for the activity.
- The activity that I asked him to engage in was mask painting. This is a relatively easy activity, and I thought he would have so much fun while doing it. Several materials are necessary for this process, and they include caps, plugs, masking tape, masking rope, masking paper, and plastic sheet masking. I was there through the entire procedure and offered guidance as required. I chose this activity because it was an engaging one that would require his full participation. I was able to see how well he handles himself and the range of skills that the possessed to enable him to carry out the project successfully.
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- George carried out the mask painting activity in my bedroom. I had to move a few things around to give him enough room in which to work. The setting was suitable because there were distractions from outside. We were the only people in the room, and this allowed him to concentrate on the project entirely. Therefore, he managed to give his best while working on the mask paintings. In case of any plans with George, this would still be the ideal setting because it allows him to focus entirely on the project at hand.
- When I first asked George to take part in the project, he seemed a little hesitant because he is used to staying in front of a screen playing video games. However, I managed to convince him that the activity would be fun, and he eventually agreed. While working on the masks, he kept saying how he loved it. He made a couple of masks and wore them, saying that he would become a superhero someday and rely on the mask to hide his identity from people. He seemed to be very happy with what he had accomplished at the end of the session.
- Before we began the project, I was a little unsure of whether George would enjoy the session or not. His reluctance at the beginning made this fear even worse. However, as soon as the project began, I became more at ease and had a very interactive session with my little brother. This was the first time we carried out any project together for a long time. I learned that George could be very creative and that he was very conservative. He wasted very little material and made good use of every item I gave to him. From these actions, I concluded that he was very responsible, and I was happy to be part of this beautiful experience. I also learned that George is a very determined individual who is eager to learn new things provide he has someone to guide him in the right direction. The fact that he had never attempted such activity before did not stop him from trying to come up with something spectacular. I believe that he has that special something that will help him become one of the best artists the world has ever known.
- If we embark on such an activity in the future, I will make sure to inform George in advance so that he can prepare psychologically. The reluctance he showed at the beginning may have been a result of a lack of prior information. In his mind, he was getting ready to play the video games that he was accustomed to. By introducing an activity, he was not expecting, and I was bound to face some form of resistance from him. Therefore, he must get an earlier notification before the next activity begins. Also, I should get some of his peers to undertake the challenge along with him. It is a known fact that people work better when working in collaboration. This is because they can learn from each other, and the presence of a positive competitive spirit pushes each one to their limits to outperform the rest. I believe this would help bring out the best of his artistic abilities.
- Below is an attachment of the mask painting prepared by George. He allowed me to put it here after I explained to him that it was for educational purposes.
- The activity was worthwhile because I got to get a better understanding of how to handle children. There are several children with talents and abilities that they are yet to explore because they have not yet met someone to help nudge them in the right direction. As a Child and Youth worker, it is vital to understand that children have feelings too. Therefore, it is not right to force them into doing something which makes them uncomfortable. However, there are practical measures that one can use to help children explore their hidden abilities. Helping them enjoy the activities promotes their willingness to participate, in turn helping them learn much more.