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Based on your list of choices, here are the relevant materials you can use.

Writing

Participants who engage themselves in creative writing are encouraged to share their experience with other participants.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Improve self esteem
  2. Improve interpersonal skills
  3. Improve subjective wellbeing
  4. Improve presentational skills
  5. Improve the ability to reflect
  6. Encourage literary creations

All objectives can be achieved in at least one month of weekly sessions.

 

Rogues Gallery

Group activity making portrait shadows of self. This can self-validate and give a sense of belonging and cohesion with group. Requires a steady hand and some concentration and one-to-one attention.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Work together with someone else, co-operating
  2. Follow a rule e.g. ‘keep very still’ or ‘paint within the lines’
  3. Improve fine motor movement
  4. Improve self-worth. Validates their efforts when the group’s gallery is displayed
  5. Reduce levels of failure.

 

Theatre

The aim of visiting a theatre is to familiarize our user base with the theatre. Theatre encourages active thinking and relaxation and provides an excellent opportunity for participants to expand their social networks.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Learn about art
  2. Improve confidence and self-esteem
  3. Relax and socialize
  4. Improve manners
  5. Improve mood and provide entertainment

These goals will be achieved after multiple sessions.

 

Reminiscence Therapy

Reminiscence therapy involves the discussion of past activities, events and experiences with another person or a group.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Give clients an opportunity to discuss/share past experiences
  2. Increase sense of belonging in a group setting
  3. Improve interaction
  4. Improve self-esteem/self confidence
  5. Increased communication

*These objectives will be achieved after one or multiple sessions.

 

Singing Group

The main idea of the activity is to sing in a group, with one of the participants or a volunteer playing the guitar.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Improve singing abilities
  2. Improve concentration
  3. Improve memory
  4. Improve self-esteem
  5. Provide motivation
  6. Improve mental wellbeing

The objectives are likely to be achieved after approximately 15 sessions.

 

Puppet Making

This activity enables an individual to create a puppet and think about the character. It is suitable for use within an individual or group drama therapy session. The activity could be adjusted for other professionals, or client groups. It would need to be supervised by a person that understands the nature of the activity and can safely assess and contain the emotional, psychological and physical needs of the particular client group.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Make a puppet.
  2. Explore thinking and identification with a character or a role.
  3. Enable the client to express and communicate feelings.
  4. Increase engagement and interaction.
  5. Explore changes in the emotions being expressed during the activity.

*This activity will take more than one session.

 

Puppets Workshop

Active participation in a theatre production, throughout the creative process. Participants familiarize themselves with communication, marionette design, animation, storytelling techniques, basics of directing and scenography, photography and presentation.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Acquire theatre skills and techniques.
  2. Improve self-reflection and creative work.
  3. Improve self-esteem.

*These will be achieved after multiple sessions.

 

Pressing Flowers

Fresh flowers can be kept for years with their color intact by pressing them, which flattens the flowers as they dry. Pressed flowers have long been used as decorative additions to cards and other projects as well as framed on their own.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Be able to press flowers ready for use in other projects.
  2. Improve concentration and attention
  3. Encourage creativity
  4. Promote fine motor skills, dexterity and manipulation
  5. Learn a new skill or creative activity

 

Poetry And Prose

By choosing appropriate literary texts (poetry, shorter prose texts) and reading them (individually or aloud in a group) the participants experience the “power of the written word”, how you can express yourself through writing, and they try to understand the message of some texts

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Experiencing literary texts (poetry, prose) and understanding the message
  2. Maybe trying to identify with the conveyed message, described feelings, moods….
  3. Reading aloud in a group, which helps raise self-esteem, and group discussion
  4. Providing opportunity for self-expression through writing
  5. Developing creativity and abstract thinking

All objectives are to be achieved in the long term./p>

 

Pottery Making

To make coil pots with clay (normal or air-drying).

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Promote social Interaction
  2. Promote concentration
  3. Promote relaxing sequencing skills
  4. Achieve hand eye co-ordination fine motor skills
  5. Promote bi-lateral co-ordination

* These objectives can be achieved after multiple sessions.

 

Philosophy Reading Groups 2

The activity consists of reading selected excerpts from Plato’s dialogues and discussing their meaning. This leads to an engaged conversation among participants about the presented topic. In addition, the participants usually relate the discussed text to their personal experiences.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Encourage reflective thinking about values as a basis for meaning.
  2. Develop the verbal skills of the patient so they can participate in conversations.
  3. Remember the essential needs of one's mental wellbeing.

All objectives are to be achieved in the long term./p>

 

Planting Flowers In Pots

Horticulture and gardening activities provide opportunities for engagement with the natural environment and enable nurturing feelings to thrive through watching something grow and develop; thus having a direct connection with spirituality and culture.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To enable participants to engage in the activity of planting their chosen plants in the plant pots within the time allocated.
  2. For participants to experience enjoyment at engaging in the activity.
  3. To enable participants to interact socially within a group.
  4. For participants to experience sensory stimulation.
  5. For participants to gain a sense of achievement through nurturing/ caring for their plant.

* Please note that number 5 is an objective that can be achieved in the long term.

 

Music Workshop

The main idea of the activity is to understand the wide range of what music means – not just singing, but also learn about music theory, listen to different music genres and get to know them.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Improve self-esteem.
  2. Improve mental wellbeing.
  3. Improve concentration.
  4. Increase patience.
  5. Provide inspiration.

*All objectives are likely to be achieved in the long term./p>

 

Picture Strips

Making a picture in strips.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Create simple picture with paper shapes from photographs or pictures.
  2. Encourage creativity and design
  3. Improve concentration and attention
  4. Promote motor skills, dexterity and manipulation

 

Handicrafts

The basic idea is that the participants learn to knit, crochet, sew by hand and sewing machine, tailor and repair clothes, drawing on T-shirts etc... with the aim for active leisure time in general.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Increase social contacts
  2. Increase the independence
  3. Improve self esteem
  4. Reduce the cost of living
  5. Improve the quality of free time

*These objectives will be achieved after a number of sessions./p>

 

Personal Symbols

In this exercise, each person discovers, in a randomly pattern they create, personal symbols whose qualities they compare to their own personalities. This exercise is a projective technique through which a person is able to see more clearly some of the basic beliefs that they hold about themselves.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Provide a medium to help self expression, self concept and self awareness
  2. Promote self-expression through drawing
  3. Encourage use of art to aid communication skills and understand the impact of feelings on relationships
  4. Provide opportunity for individuals to express their feelings

 

Handcraft Creative Workshops

The main idea of the activity is to be creative and improve hand skills.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Improve hand skills
  2. Opportunity to express themselves, their feelings
  3. Recycle
  4. Improve self esteem
  5. Increase social contacts
  6. Improve mental wellbeing

*All objectives are likely to be achieved (to some extent) after a finished project./p>

 

People Shelter Storm

A fun game to get players comfortable with each other and working together. Interactive actions and movement game which is fun and enjoyable. It can be used as a warm up to other creative drama or physical activities.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Increase social interaction
  2. Improve slowed sensory motor and sensory skills
  3. Provide opportunity for creative expression and play
  4. Follow directions and actions given

 

Going To Movies And Concerts

In order to expand social networks and encourage social integration, we organize the following activities: visiting museums, art galleries, going to the cinema, theatre and concerts. Sometimes we offer also the possibility of visiting opera, ballet and classical music performances. These activities take place once or twice a month, depending on the possibilities, needs and wishes of our participants.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Socializing, enjoying in a cultural event and “experiencing” art.
  2. Giving people the opportunity to discuss the presented topics, express their opinions, and talk about their experience of art, their feelings and emotions.
  3. Providing an opportunity for relaxation and stress relief
  4. Coping with distress and traumatic experiences
  5. Developing creativity and abstract thinking

 

People Poems

Using key theme and other words – create a group action, mime or movement /sounds to help guide others to guess the theme. This activity provides a useful technique for generating physical ideas around a theme through use of drama and motion. Can be used to warm up for other drama activity.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Increase social interaction through body gestures and interactions and team work
  2. Use Improvisation to express ideas / actions
  3. Improve slowed sensory motor and sensory skills
  4. Provide opportunity for individuals to express themselves and their imagination in a non verbal and verbal manner
  5. Provide opportunity for creative expression and movement
  6. Improve poverty of thought

 

Amniotic Therapy Group

Amniotic therapy (AT) is a sensorial integration therapy for different conditions. Therapeutical interactions are non-verbal and similar to mother-foetus interactions in amniotic fluid. It can be delivered one to one or in group. The group consists of the same number of patients and amniotic therapists, thus allowing an initial one-to-one relationship. Each participant is immersed in warm water.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Reproduce an environment which simulates mother-foetus relationship in amniotic fluid
  2. Stimulate the self-boundaries definition
  3. Sensory integration
  4. Sensorial deprivation: water reduces visual and acoustic inputs and the communication in the therapeutic couple is mainly tactile.
  5. Cope with issues of ADHD, self-harm, sensory processing disorder.

*All objectives are to be achieved in the long term or after multiple sessions.

 

Peaceful Meadow

Offer guided imagery (visualization) to help individuals better manage the stresses and anxieties in their lives. This involves the verbal delivery of a script describing a relaxing scene with background music in a calm environment. Can be offered as an individual or group activity, as a one-off or regular session.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Experience and gain understanding of the benefits of relaxation techniques.
  2. Maintain / increase self-esteem, motivation and concentration.
  3. Learn new skills in developing the resilience to better manage stress and anxiety.

 

Amniotic Therapy Autism

Amniotic therapy (AT) is a sensorial integration therapy for different conditions. Therapeutical interactions are non-verbal and similar to mother-foetus interactions in amniotic fluid. It can be delivered to autistic clients in a one to one therapist/client relationship. Each participant is immersed in warm water.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Reproduce an environment which simulates mother-foetus relationship in amniotic fluid
  2. Stimulate the self-boundaries definition
  3. Sensory integration
  4. Sensorial deprivation: water reduces visual and acoustic inputs and the communication in the therapeutic couple is mainly tactile.
  5. Cope with issues of ADHD, self-harm, sensory processing disorder.

*All objectives are to be achieved in the long term or after multiple sessions.

 

Parachute

A group activity involving a variety of objects and a parachute to enable engagement with music, objects and others in the group. It is suitable for use within drama therapy, music therapy or other therapeutic session. It can be used as a warm up activity.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Actively explore team work and collaboration.
  2. Help enable the client to express and communicate feelings.
  3. Increase engagement and interaction.
  4. Increase engagement and interaction.

 

Wellness Toolbox 10

To create a wellness toolbox to contain coping mechanisms.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Write goals under each heading of well-being.
  2. Create items that can help with distraction and act as a reminder of wellbeing.
  3. Provide coping mechanisms through creativity.
  4. Focus on a path to engagement.
  5. Provide a sense of purpose and self-expression.
  6. Draw attention away from stresses and anxiety.
  7. Provide recognition of skills.

 

My Timeline

Co-assisting a person in producing a timeline.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Stimulate reflective thinking
  2. Provide means for expression
  3. Provide a broader context for the present moment
  4. Provide a balanced view of a person’s life

 

Wellness Toolbox 9

To create a wellness toolbox to contain coping mechanisms.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To create a be thankful wheel to recognize things that we are grateful for
  2. Create items that can help with distraction and act as a reminder of wellbeing.
  3. Provide coping mechanisms through creativity.
  4. Focus on a path to engagement.
  5. Provide a sense of purpose and self-expression.
  6. Draw attention away from stresses and anxiety.
  7. Provide recognition of skills.

 

Music Singing

Favourite sing-along songs for older people – songs from the war years, the 60s and 70s; for children – favourite songs.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To improve wellbeing
  2. To improve sensory abilities
  3. Reminiscence
  4. To increase social interaction *
  5. Improve self-confidence/self esteem

* Long term objectives can be achieved over multiple sessions./p>

 

Wellness Toolbox 8

To create a wellness toolbox to contain coping mechanisms.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To create a motivational quote booklet personal to each individual
  2. Create items that can help with distraction and act as a reminder of wellbeing.
  3. Provide coping mechanisms through creativity.
  4. Focus on a path to engagement.
  5. Provide a sense of purpose and self-expression.
  6. Draw attention away from stresses and anxiety.
  7. Provide recognition of skills.

 

Meaningful Music

Collaboratively working with the service user and their carer/family members to source and play music to them which is meaningful and valuable.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Reduce anxiety and agitation
  2. Reminiscence
  3. Relaxation

These objectives can be achieved in one or multiple sessions./p>

 

Wellness Toolbox 7

To create a wellness toolbox to contain coping mechanisms.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To make a coaster from wood rounds or alternatively decorate a large smooth rock. Clients to write a positive/inspirational word on the coaster that acts as a reminder for wellbeing.
  2. Create items that can help with distraction and act as a reminder of wellbeing.
  3. Provide coping mechanisms through creativity.
  4. Focus on a path to engagement.
  5. Provide a sense of purpose and self-expression.
  6. Draw attention away from stresses and anxiety.
  7. Provide recognition of skills.

 

Leaf Rubbing

This is an activity that enables an individual to create a simple picture. It is suitable for use within an individual or group session. In this example the group has dementia, but the activity can easily be adjusted for other clients groups. It is assumed that it will be facilitated or supervised by a suitably qualified person who can assess the needs of the group and already has an established method of working.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Explore a connection with nature.
  2. Use art as a form of expression in an easily accessible way.
  3. Help enable the client to express and communicate feelings.
  4. Increase engagement and interaction.

 

Wellness Toolbox 6

To create a wellness toolbox to contain coping mechanisms. Once shaken, the individual can use the time of the glitter settling to practice breathing techniques for anxiety or relaxation.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Create a glitter jar/calm bottle for emotional regulation with the goal of helping decrease anxiety, self-harming behaviours etc.
  2. Create items that can help with distraction and act as a reminder of wellbeing.
  3. Provide coping mechanisms through creativity.
  4. Focus on a path to engagement.
  5. Provide a sense of purpose and self-expression.
  6. Draw attention away from stresses and anxiety.
  7. Provide recognition of skills.

 

Hand Prints

This is an activity that enables an individual to create a hand print. It is suitable for use within an individual or in a group session. It is assumed that the activity will be facilitated by an appropriately trained professional such as a drama therapist or art therapist who already has an established method of working.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Create a personal mark.
  2. Use art as a form of expression in an easily accessible way.
  3. Help enable the client to express and communicate feelings.
  4. Increase engagement and interaction.
  5. Enable the possibility of changes in the emotions being expressed during the activity.

 

Wellness Toolbox 5

To create a wellness toolbox to contain coping mechanisms.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To create items that can help with distraction and act as a reminder of wellbeing.
  2. To provide coping mechanisms through creativity.
  3. To focus on a path to engagement.
  4. To provide a sense of purpose and self-expression.
  5. To draw attention away from stresses and anxiety.
  6. To provide recognition of skills.

 

Grounding Exercise

People who have experienced different forms of abuse can sometimes be confronted by flashbacks or intense intrusive memories of what happened, to the point that they feel as if they are re-living the abuse all over again.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Provide a helpful coping strategy for those suffering from flashbacks or intrusive memories.
  2. Help people cope with other forms of emotional distress by focusing on their senses instead of thoughts or emotions.

 

Wellness Toolbox 4

To create a wellness toolbox to contain coping mechanisms.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Provide skills for anxiety and stress that are easily accessible and also to promote wellbeing.
  2. To provide coping mechanisms through creativity.
  3. To focus on a path to engagement.
  4. To provide a sense of purpose and self-expression.
  5. To draw attention away from stresses and anxiety.
  6. To provide recognition of skills.

 

Festive Pot Pourri

Making scented festive woodland pot-pourri - using fragrant mixture of leaves, spices and pine cones. This activity may be more age appropriate to older population as reminiscent of childhood and use of scented decorations. But can be used with most age groups.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Create scented festive pot-pourri
  2. Promote motor skills, dexterity and manipulation
  3. Improve concentration and attention
  4. Learn a new skill

 

Wellness Toolbox 3

To create a wellness toolbox to contain coping mechanisms.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To make a photo frame from cardboard that can be decorated and then a photo of family, friends or other things of interest or inspiration to be added.
  2. To provide coping mechanisms through creativity.
  3. To focus on a path to engagement.
  4. To provide a sense of purpose and self-expression.
  5. To draw attention away from stresses and anxiety.
  6. To provide recognition of skills.

 

Comic Strip Conversations

Produce a personalized record of a conversation to increase understanding. Comic strip conversations can help people to understand concepts that they find difficult. People draw as they talk and use these drawings to learn about different social situations.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Increase understanding of meaning of other people’s behavior.
  2. Increase awareness of own social behavior.

 

Wellness Toolbox 2

To create a wellness toolbox to contain coping mechanisms.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To write a motivational letter to yourself in order to provide encouragement when times may be difficult (can write as if writing to a friend if clients find this easier)
  2. To participate in mindful colouring.
  3. To provide coping mechanisms through creativity.
  4. To focus on a path to engagement.
  5. To provide a sense of purpose and self-expression.
  6. To draw attention away from stresses and anxiety.
  7. To provide recognition of skills.

 

Clay Tiles

The creative activity aims to promote enjoyment and self-confidence by learning to use simple clay techniques to create a tile. The facilitator gathers and prepares the materials, and assesses the group/individual’s abilities. The facilitator may need to risk assess equipment, such as cutters and small pieces of equipment etc.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Promote enjoyment and self-esteem.
  2. Think about taking control of life through planning activities and future goals.
  3. Focus on positive aspects of self and ability.
  4. Positive ways of connecting with other group members / facilitator.
  5. Increase tactile and sensory motor skills.

 

Wellness Toolbox 1

To create a wellness toolbox to contain coping mechanisms.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Provide coping mechanisms through creativity.
  2. Focus on a path to engagement.
  3. Provide a sense of purpose and self-expression.
  4. Draw attention away from stresses and anxiety.
  5. Provide recognition of skills.

 

Bag Of Feelings

The Bag of Feelings can help in the assessment of children's and adolescents' feelings. However it can be adapted to be used with adults, especially those who may benefit from visual /pictorial aids.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Help the client becoming more aware of the variety of feelings they experience.
  2. Normalize all feelings and think about the protective nature of all feelings
  3. Raise awareness of the combination and interaction between feelings we experience at any one time.

 

Puppet Story

This activity involves enabling individuals to role play as a character and identify with themes in a story. This activity could be used after a warm up activity. It is suitable for use within an individual or group drama therapy session. It is assumed that it will be used or supervised by a drama therapist who already has an established method of working.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Explore identification with a character or a role.
  2. Enable the client to express/communicate a feeling.
  3. Increase engagement and interaction.

*This activity will take more than one session.

 

18of18_Music Activity Feelings

This session has to do with a conscious body activation and expressing feelings through the body to the rhythm of the music. A series of games will be developed in order to develop certain functions (memory, coordination, ability to express and be in contact with other people...).

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To foster creativity.
  2. To express emotions through movement.
  3. To stimulate the feeling of belonging to a group
  4. To perform physical exercise in fun and playful ways.
  5. To activate the body as a means of communication
  6. To develop ways to channel and to express emotions in a healthy and playful way.
  7. To develop and to use the values of coexistence among people.

 

Wizards Giants Goblins

This is basically a fun group version of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” using verbal and non-verbal actions and skills in place of a rock, paper or scissors. This game can be used as a warm up to a group activity / session to aid group cohesion.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Increase social interaction.
  2. Improve sensory motor skills.
  3. Provide an opportunity for individuals to express themselves and their imagination in a nonverbal and verbal manner.
  4. Provide an opportunity for creative expression and play in a team.
  5. Encourage team decision making skills.

 

17of18_Music Activity Orchestra

This session has to do with the interaction between the components of the group through the game, the music and the movements, creating a music work between them.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To improve the relationship with themselves and with partners.
  2. To become aware of their own resources, as well as of the difficulties and possible strategies to deal with them.
  3. To enjoy creative and playful experiences, to feel good and to express themselves without fear of being judged.

 

Walking Group

To go out walking as a group with an organized route plan.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Promote physical exercise/ physical wellbeing
  2. Reinforce bilateral coordination
  3. Develop gross motor skills
  4. Achieve sensory integration
  5. Achieve social interaction
  6. Support concentration

 

16of18_Music Activity Dance

In this session verbal expressions will be developed through the combination of words (poems, rhythms, sayings, jingles, tongue twisters, texts of songs). The graphic representation of the music will allow the expression of those feelings and the promotion of the creativity.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Improve the diction and the intonation (speak slowly, softly, articulating, finer points)
  2. Sing without forcing the voice and to express the texts in different ways.
  3. Share emotions to be uninhibited, self-control and the sense of group.

 

Waiter Plate

This activity could provide a useful technique for generating physical actions and movement. It can be used to warm up for other drama activities.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Increase social interaction through body gestures and interactions.
  2. Use improvisation to express ideas and actions.
  3. Improve sensory motor skills.
  4. Provide opportunities for individuals to express themselves and their imagination in a nonverbal manner.
  5. Provide opportunities for creative expression and movement.
  6. Improve poverty of thought.

 

15of18_Music Activity Dance

Dancing is one of the oldest forms of therapy, musical intervention and artistic expression for human beings. We start with some basic techniques for stretching and warming up as preparation for dancing activities.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To improve the physical qualities of the individual, particularly in the areas of coordination and perception of the body schema, as well as in the capacity to respond to sound stimulation.
  2. To facilitate movement through repetition and training, which enables the movement to become automatic
  3. To develop the muscles
  4. To improve the ability to balance and rotate.
  5. To achieve a proper expressive execution of artistic work.
  6. To introduce processes of rehabilitation and sensorialization of the body through the dance.
  7. To link the physical training to the breath and to the structural music of the rhythm.
  8. To work the group so they can coordinate the march, different speeds (soft-whisper).

 

TV Footage

This activity involves selecting videos that enable individuals or groups to reconnect with memories of the past. This activity could be used to introduce a group activity or drama therapy session or at the end of a session to bring it to a close. If you are working with a group that has reduced mobility such as clients with dementia, it could help to allow 30 minutes before and after each session during which clients can be individually supported to join the group. Having something to watch during this time works especially well.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Explore reminiscence.
  2. Maintain engagement and interaction while waiting for the session to begin or end.

 

14of18_Music Activity Body Language

This session has to do with an activation of the body consciously and the expression of feelings through the movement of the body to the rhythm of the music. In the activities proposed, we try to join all those creative processes of the artistic education: dance, music and art. This activity develops a better body awareness and reaction times improve and motor skills increase. It develops a sense of self-control and self-confidence related to the body and participants show emotional expressions of satisfaction.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Do physical exercise.
  2. Stimulate sustained listening.
  3. Train inhibitory obstacles to movement and the control of strength.
  4. Be aware of the support points.
  5. Acquire awareness, activation and control of the body.
  6. Activate the body as a means of communication.

 

There Is Only One Liar

There Is Only One Liar is a group observational task that can be used as warm up to other social interaction activities. It is a fun group-dynamics game from Augusto Boal.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Develop group cohesion.
  2. Develop observation skills.
  3. Develop sensory awareness.
  4. Challenge body awareness and observational interpretations of others.

 

13of18_Music Activity Choreography

The participants perform choreography to a well-known song. This will allow them to develop certain functions (memory, coordination, mobility, balance, and the ability to express themselves on their own and by interacting with others).

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To stimulate the memory.
  2. To foster creativity.
  3. To cooperate with others.
  4. To express emotions through those movements.
  5. To stimulate the feeling of belonging to a group.
  6. To design the costumes using recycled materials in a creative way.

* These objectives will be achieved after multiple sessions.

 

The Chair

This exercise aims to develop spontaneous self-expression and awareness of the non-verbal aspects of communication.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Provide a space to develop self-expression, self-awareness and communication skills.
  2. Use improvisation to promote spontaneity, assertiveness, and persuasion.
  3. Improve concentration and observational skills.
  4. Improve poverty of thought.

 

12of18_Music Activity Body Percussion

In this session a musical work will be represented through body percussion and following the structure set in a music gram. The participants will have to coordinate the music with the beats of their hands, chest, legs and feet. In this activity we explore various motor options that our body offers us. To move according to the tempo and rhythm of the music, benefits the psychomotor capabilities.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Train the memory through visualization and drawing of music grams.
  2. Base on rhythmic, melodic and timbre formation.
  3. Make the body sensitive and to locate the parts of it, according to the spatial and temporal relationship.
  4. Develop an active hearing with body percussion and to make own creations and improvisations.
  5. Coordinate the movement and to develop basic motor activities.
  6. Encourage teamwork.
  7. Develop the capacity of concentration.

* These objectives will be achieved in the long term or after multiple sessions.

 

The Beach

This is an activity that enables an individual to role play as a character and identify with themes in a story. The activity could be developed over several sessions or could form a small part of a single session. It is suitable for use with a group. This activity should be facilitated or supervised by a drama therapist or other suitably trained professionals who already have an established method of working. This example describes using the activity with people who have dementia.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Explore reminiscence of holidays.
  2. Enable the client to express and communicate feelings and explore memories.
  3. Increase engagement and interaction.
  4. Encourage changes in the emotions being expressed during the activity.

 

11of18_Music Activity Improvisation

This session begins with the improvisation of instrumental activities that encourages the skills the participants used to have, but which have never been shown for different reasons. Music can and should be prepared for all the participants.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Train the rhythmic capabilities through different melodies.
  2. Stimulate musical memory.
  3. Improve the cohesion of the group and personal relationships.
  4. Develop rhythmic, music and instrument skills.

* These objectives will be achieved in the long term or after multiple sessions.

 

Talk Show Expert

Talk Show Expert- a fun exercise to help participants to play roles, create actions and use mime. This exercise can be used as a warm up to other creative drama activities.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Use improvisation to express ideas and actions.
  2. Increase social interaction.
  3. Improve sensory motor and sensory skills.
  4. Provide an opportunity for individuals to express themselves in a non-verbal and verbal manner.
  5. Provide an opportunity for creative expression and play.
  6. Improve poverty of thought.

 

10of18_Music Activity Memory

This session uses the melodies of known songs, popular in the lifetime of the participants with whom we will perform the therapy; playing recordings that will make them practice a series of activities.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Maintain the ability to listen carefully
  2. Contextualise historically the songs being listened to.
  3. Discriminate aurally.
  4. Improve attention and concentration in general.
  5. Activate consciousness and spatial visualization.
  6. Use the auditory memory.
  7. Improve the sequencing of time.

* These objectives will be achieved in the long term or after multiple sessions.

 

Story With Objects

This is a sensory activity that enables an individual to engage with themes in a story. It is suitable for use within an individual or group drama therapy session. It is assumed that this activity will be used or supervised by a drama therapist or another suitably trained professional who already has an established method of working.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To explore story themes.
  2. To allow the client to engage in a sensory exploration which may trigger memories or responses to current situations.
  3. To help enable the client to express/communicate feelings.
  4. Increase engagement and interaction.

 

9of18_Music Activity Performing

In this session participants will perform songs or known music pieces. With this activity of performing songs which are or have been significant in our lives, we take strength, especially when we sing in a group.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Exercise memory, remembering the lyrics and music of the songs used.
  2. Develop the expressive capacities of the voice.
  3. Improve the physical state through music.
  4. Decrease the reaction time of older adults.
  5. Improve the flow of blood circulation.

* These objectives are expected to be achieved in the long term, after multiple sessions.

 

Story Dance

A movement exercise to increase awareness of others when moving in a space. The exercise involve using props to aid creation of a story of motion and movement. This activity provides a useful technique for generating physical actions and movement. The activity can be used to warm up for other dance activities; it can be useful for dance or physical theatre, or for discovering movement ideas.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Increase body awareness through body motions and direction.
  2. Use improvisation to express actions and movement.
  3. Improve sensory motor and sensory skills.
  4. Provide an opportunity for individuals to express themselves and their imagination in a nonverbal manner.
  5. Provide opportunity for creative expression and movement.
  6. Improve poverty of thought.
  7. Improve listening skills.

 

8of18_Music Activity Improvisation

Musical improvisations allow us to explore, communicate ourselves, enjoy, laugh and contribute to the development, reinforcement or maintenance of certain functions (attention, memory, coordination). The creation of a climate of games and fun will favour a good mood.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Prevent the pathologies of the voice.
  2. Improve the breathing process.
  3. Exercise the facial resonators and to prepare the vocal chords for the performance.
  4. Develop their memory for heard sounds
  5. Encourage the use of vocal improvisation.
  6. Develop creativity.

* These objectives to be achieved in the long term or after multiple sessions.

 

Stand Sit Bend

This activity uses verbal and non-verbal communication. The object of the activity is to improvise and use creative actions in a scene. During the process participants will take turns in the position of standing, sitting or bending. This game can be used as a warm up to a group activity or session to aid group cohesiveness.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Use improvisation to express ideas and actions.
  2. Increase social interactions.
  3. Improve sensory motor and sensory skills.
  4. Provide opportunities for individuals to express themselves and their imagination in a nonverbal and verbal manner.
  5. Provide opportunities for creative expression and play with others.
  6. Improve poverty of thought.

 

7of18_Music Activity Ability

In this session the difficulty of the activities is increased, entailing more cognitive activity in order to show how the intellectual activity balances out the negative effects of aging. Some of them help with controlling breathing, others were based on dictations of two and three notes (intervals of third), and others involved in working with vision.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Strengthen the middle top of the body.
  2. Increase the oxygenation of the body that comes about as a benefit of diaphragmatic breathing.
  3. Improve the quality of vision.
  4. Work on the fine motor skills.
  5. Develop the auditory memory.

 

Simultaneous Conversations

This is an exercise in self assertion. Two players sit opposite one another and are assigned to either be for, or against, a designated topic. Then at the same time and maintaining eye contact, they talk at one another, without responding to any part of the opponent’s monologue. This exercise can be used as a warm up to other creative drama activities.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Use improvisation to express ideas.
  2. Increase self-assertion.
  3. Provide an opportunity for individuals to express themselves in both a non-verbal and verbal manner.
  4. Provide an opportunity for creative expression and play.
  5. Improve poverty of thought.

 

6of18_Music Activity Rythm And Melodies

This session will begin with the improvisation of instrumental activities that allowed these skills that participants used to have, but which had never been shown for different reasons. Music can and should be prepared for all the participants.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Train the rhythmic abilities through different melodies
  2. Stimulate musical memory
  3. Improve the cohesion of the group and personal relationships
  4. Develop rhythmic, music and instruments skills

 

Self Soothing Box

When people are distressed, they often forget the techniques that help them cope better with overwhelming negative emotions or intolerable, distressing situations. There are 4 strategies that help in these situations; one of them is called self-soothing. Many people have not learned to self soothe, however they will recognize strategies they already do to feel better. Most of these strategies involve our senses, to make us feel calmer, relaxed or better.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Learn coping strategies
  2. Find out what can help in a distressing situation
  3. Have a soothing box as a reminder when feeling distressed

 

5of18_Music Activity Music notes

This session has to do with the following main objective: all people in the group know the musical notes that appear in the most of songs. In this way, we will investigate the types of voices that exist, the mode of producing sounds and the tessitura of each voice. In the activity proposed, each note will be associated with a movement of hands.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Improve the intonation.
  2. Improve motor skills and coordination by moving hands
  3. Understand musical notes and to sing the scale of C major.
  4. Discern the types of voices that exist and the forms of execution.
  5. Remember the process of diaphragmatic breathing.
  6. Control the breathing and the parts of the body involved as resonators.

 

Scented Note Paper

Making scented note paper - using scented sachet of lavender. The tradition of scented notepaper goes back many centuries, often a drop of perfume was used but this stained the paper. It is much better to leave a lavender sachet with the paper for a month. This activity requires patience. This activity may be more age appropriate to older population as reminiscent of childhood and use of scented paper. But can be used with most age groups.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Create scented note paper
  2. Promote fine motor skills, dexterity and manipulation
  3. Improve concentration and attention
  4. Learn a new skill

 

4of18_Music Activity Sounds

These artistic activities have as main aim, the strengthening of their self-esteem, at the time of the auto cognition. Because they pay more attention to melodies, they will improve their hearing and the capture of hearing stimulus.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Exercise the memory through musical series.
  2. Develop the auditory sensitivity between deep and high, strong sounds and pianos, long and short.
  3. Increase the attention to the sounds heard.
  4. Recognize what instrument is being used.
  5. Know and to differentiate between the qualities of the sound (height, duration, intensity and timbre).

 

Scented Festive Pomander

Making scented festive decorations - using fruits to make pomanders. This activity may be more age appropriate to older population as reminiscent of childhood and use of scented decorations. But can be used with most age groups.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To create scented festive pomander decorations
  2. To promote fine motor skills, dexterity and manipulation
  3. To improve concentration and attention
  4. To learn a new skill
  5. To use the activity to promote senses and benefits of reminiscence of scents and senses

 

3of18_Music Activity Breathing2

This session builds on the diaphragmatic breathing completed in Musical Activity- Breathing (1st part)

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Strengthen the facial muscles involved in the breathing process.
  2. Express emotions and feelings.
  3. Contact their own inner world to know, to recognize and to express themselves, to love and to share the inner music and what it entails.

 

Salt Dough

This therapy enables individuals to create a 3D model and engage with a related story. It is suitable for use within an individual or group drama therapy session. It is assumed that it will be used or supervised by a drama therapist or other suitably trained professional who already has an established method of working.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Explore creation through the activity of making.
  2. Use art as a form of expression in an easily accessible way.
  3. Enable the client to express and communicate feelings.
  4. Increase engagement and interaction.
  5. Explore the possibility of a change in the emotions being expressed during the activity.

 

2of18_Music Activity Breathing1

The breathing exercises proposed include two sessions. We are going to improve diaphragmatic breathing and respiratory column pressure.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Work diaphragmatic breathing and respiratory column pressure.
  2. Improve the breathing process by inspirations and breaths.

 

Safe House

Through this activity, patients will be making a house from clay. Throughout this process, the patient can reflect on internal and external safety, what it means and what it feels like. This activity is alsohelpful for establishing and keeping personal boundaries. Patients can use the tactile experiences and transformation of the art materials in to a meaningful object.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. Enjoy and reflect on experiences of clay.
  2. Use very simple techniques to provide an experiential way of making an object with the possibility of instillation of pride in the maker.
  3. Help facilitate the establishment and maintenance of personal boundaries.
  4. Think about taking control of one’s life and increases the ability to assess risk, and feel safe.
  5. Symbolically create structure, solidity and possibly beauty that can be reflected on and internalized.
  6. This process can be used as a stand-alone project, or to help facilitate an ending of much longer therapeutic work.

 

1of18_Music Activity Stretches

In this session we are going to start with stretching exercises while quiet and relaxed music is played.

The goals of activity are to:

  1. To stretch and strengthen body muscles.
  2. To make light movements to relax muscles tension.
  3. To coordinate stretching exercises to the music.
  4. To apply the breath movements: inspiration and expiration.