Week 13: Time Slips and Dramatic Arts

  Last week in class we had two students present and teach us about "Timeslips". In my understanding, "Timeslips" are using pictures to allow individuals to express creativity through storytelling of what they believe the picture is about.  I really enjoyed learning about "Timeslips" because I think it is an awesome activity that can be expanded and adapted to reach all populations.  I really enjoyed listening to different challenges the students who use them with the elderly populations have faced.  Some examples we talked about were inappropriate comments to others in the group or about the picture and also encouraging individuals to participate.  I think it is very important to include everyone's ideas when they share in order to encourage them to participate again in the future and know that everyone's input is equally valuable for the story.  We were even able to practice "Timeslips" with a smaller group from the class.  This was a lot of fun and I thought it was helpful to see how the facilitator can ask questions.  I think it is also very imporant as a facilitator for this activity to have enthusiasm because the more you have as a facilitator, the better the activity will turn out.  There are many therapeutic benefits of "Timeslips" but some include: promoting creativity, enhancing teamwork, promoting social interaction, boosting confidence, having fun, increasing happiness, laughter, and intellectual stimulation.  I was so excited about "Timeslips" that I called my Mom ( who is an OT and works with geriatrics in an assisted living home) and told her all about them.  I really want to volunteer this summer and try this activity with a group!

   The second part of class was a long leadership presentation about dramatic arts.  The group touched on different kinds such as plays, music, art, clay art video, and other creative types of dramatic arts.  They chose to focus on puppets.  We all made our own sock puppet and created a small play to put on for the class.  I thought this was a good activity.  We all were able to be creative when making out puppets and when coming up with a mini skit.  I personally think puppets are a great tool because they allow individuals to express their feelings, especially if they are an individual who is shy.  We talked about the use of puppets in a medical setting such as demonstrating to a child what will happen for a medical procedure or using the puppet as a tool to make things  less intimidating for the child.  Puppets are also great because they may demonstrate the feelings of the individual if they are not willing to simply state or talk about their feelings.  I think that puppets are often seen as only for kids, but they have a lot of potential to be used with populations other than kids such as with individuals who have mental disabilities. 

   This class period was a lot of fun and I also learned about acitviites that I plan on using in my future.  I learned that I really like activities that can be used as a group because I think working in a group has so many benefits for individuals such as social skills.  I think working in a group is also great if you are in a setting where you want to reach many people, but do not have the time to work one-on-one.  I also learned that I am goofy, but shy.  It was funny when we put on our mini-skit because I did a different voice that I normally would not do without the puppet.  It was funny because I was not even behind a table.. I simply had a sock on my hand and that made it okay to open up a little and do something a bit crazy.  I think that was a good example of how puppets can alllow someone to open up a bit and just be silly. 

  I tried to give as much input as possible about the therapeutic benefits of puppets and also added in on the "Timeslips" discussion.  I think it is important with all activities to recognize the therapeutic benefits in order to be able to better match activities with certain individuals I will be working with and also for documentation reasons for individuals' healthcare plans.  There are many people who have trouble seeing the therapeutic benefits of activities that may seem simple, silly, or stupid to them. As therapeutic recreation specialists, I believe it is our job to share with others the deeper meaning and potential behind all recreational activities and let our passion for using recreation to enhance the lives of others spread to other people who may not understand what therapeutic recreation is all about.


“The human body has limitations;
the human spirit is boundless.” 
 

Activity #10: Drum Circle

Activity: Drum Circle!


Target Participant Group: Elderly population and children with physical/cognitive disabilities


Other Groups that may Benefit: Corrections, individuals with cognitive disabilities, children with Autism, individuals with MD, individuals with CP


Groups not Appropriate: individuals who may be bothered by loud noises, individuals with both arm amputations


Therapeutic Potential: encourages teamwork, builds skills in listening, communication & leadership, reduces stress, connects people, decreased anxiety and depression, improved joint mobility and posture, help with motor skills, increased energy, improved immunity, having fun,  making new social connections, gentle body movements promoting physical exercise, improves circulation, express creativity


Resources Needed: The main resource needed for this activity is of course, the drums.  Because drums may be expensive to purchase, there are companies available that will host a drum circle or rent out the drums and instruments.  (see additional resource section below for some links to these companies).  You may also need straps or other adaptive equipment such as tables depending on the participants involved in the drum circle.  You should also remember to have enough space and an adequate amount of chairs if needed.


Activity Description: A drum circle is a group of people from few to many positioned in a circle that use drums and other percussion instruments to create a musical expression.  This activity is great for groups and the therapeutic benefits are endless! It can be used for individuals of all ages and can be adapted for just about all populations! It is also great because there is no right or wrong way. It is simply creative and free expression and the individual can contribute as much as they are possible to the circle. 


Best Leadership Style: This activity would work best with one main leader within the drum circle.  All participants can listen to this leader and follow one set of instructions. This may  be essential if the group is trying to create a certain rhythm or sound effect within the circle.  Additional helpers may be used throughout the circle to help some individuals if necessary. 


Activity Source: I attended a weekend respite camp for children with severe physical and cognitive impairments.  We had a drum circle activity and the kids absolutely loved it! There was a host drum circle company who brought a wide variety of drums and other instruments so the kids were able to pick out which one they wanted to use.  The host of the circle led us in different rhythms and games.


Additional Information: http://drumaticinnovation.com/what-is-drum-circle * this is a GREAT website-- tons of therapeutic benefits for different populations and also is a company to host a circle located in Idaho.
http://www.drumcircle.com/
http://www.drumsontheweb.com/DOTWpages/Drumkeypages/drumcirclehome_2.html 
*this website lists different drum circles by states and countries

Activity #9: Flower Pots

Activity: Decorate flower pot and plant seeds!


Target Participant Group: Individuals with HIV/AIDS, elderly population


Other Groups that may Benefit: children with physical and cognitive disabilities, individuals with substance abuse, adults with cognitive disabilities


Groups not appropriate for: This activity is great and can be used for most all groups in my opinion!


Therapeutic Potential: enhance creativity and individuality, promotes mental and social well being, improve fine motor skills, increase self-esteem, increase observational skills, provides outlet for stress and emotions, opportunity to interact with others, cooperation, dealing with success and failure, learning environment


Resources Needed: 
flower pots (can be bought for pretty cheap at a garden store)
craft paint
sponge brushes/paint brushes
bowls for paint
sponges/stencils (optional)
dirt/cup for scooping it
variety of seeds for planting
Sharpie (if want to write names on bottoms)
newspaper (to cover surface)


Activity Description:


This activity is simple and tons of fun. The individuals can start by decorating their flower pots with paint.  This part is the fun part and should encourage creativity from the individuals.  Once the pots have dried, they are able to fill the pots with dirt.  Next, they can choose what they would like to plant in their pot and place the seeds in the dirt.  Make sure to tell them to keep the pot in a sunny spot and water it daily!


Best Leadership Style:  Depending on the size of the group and ability level of the participants in the group, one facilitator should work for this activity.  It is fairly simple, but if the individuals have certain impairments they may need one-on-one assistance when decorating their pots.  This activity is great because it can be done in a group setting and allows the participants to interact with others in the group while they decorate their pot and plant their seeds. 


Activity Source: I first decorated my own flower pot and planted seeds in it when I was in girl scouts.  This is a well-known, popular activity.  This is just a sample of horticultural therapy and may spark an interest in further gardening such as creating a garden at an assisted living home for the residents to participate weekly on certain "gardening days".  


Additional Info: http://voices.yahoo.com/making-own-flower-pots-51998.html?cat=32
http://www.orientaltrading.com/design-your-own-mini-ceramic-flowerpots-a2-56_9292.fltr

There is not much additional info, but you can search for creative designs online by typing in "painted flower pot" on google images.

Activity #8: Rainsticks

Activity: Build/Create your own rainstick!


Target Participant Group: At-risk youth, children with physical/cognitive disabilities


Other groups that may Benefit: children with ADHD, children with Autism, adults with cognitive disabilities, individuals with HIV/AIDS


Groups not Appropriate: This may not be age-appropriate for the elderly population.  This activity would work best with kids in my opinion.


Therapeutic Potential: promotes visual attention, coordination, fine motor skills, motor planning, strength/endurance, promotes individuality and creativity, may enhance self-esteem


Resources Needed:
 Cardboard tubes  from paper  towels or  gift wrapping or mailing tubes 
A tool  to punch holes in the tube such as a drill
Small hammer
Toothpicks  or  flat  head nails  (1 inch diameter  tube ,  7/8 inch nail) 
Glue  
Masking tape  
Wire cutters or sturdy scissors
"Fill "  seeds, pebbles, rice, dried beans, shells, beans, etc.
Materials to decorate the outside of the tube:
paint, crayons, stickers, yarn, feathers, sparkles, etc.


Activity Description:


1. Drill or poke holes in the cardboard tube.  Creating a spiral staircase pattern, place the holes about one inch apart.  If you are using nails, it is not necessary to drill holes. Simply hammer the nails in. Note: This step may need to be prepared and completed ahead of time, depending on the population you are doing the activity with.


2. Insert the toothpicks through the tube.  Placing them through at different lengths will create different sound effects.  If using nails, hammer them through the tube in a spiral pattern.


3. Cover the nubs where the toothpicks and nails stick out with masking tape.  Seal one end of the tube with masking tape or duct tape may be used.  


4.  Place fill items of your choice in the tube.  Covering the uncovered end with your hand, shake the tube to see if you like the sound it makes or want to add more or different kinds of fillers.


5. Cover the other end of the tube with masking tape.  Note: you may be creative with a different kind of covering if masking tape is not sturdy enough.


6. Decorate the outside of your rainstick! You may try paper mache, tissue paper, sparkles, yarn, or anything you desire! Note: I used a paper bag to cover the rainstick so the child was able to color their rainstick!


Best Leadership Style:  This activity would work best with one facilitator per 1-3 participants if available.  If the first couple steps were completed before, it will work with one facilitator with a small group of people.  It would be best to have extra facilitators/leaders when working with an active group of kids.


Activity Source: My dad brings home old cardboard tubes from his parts department at work.  I made a jumbo rainstick in middle school and thought it would be neat to try with the kids I babysit for and also a kid I watch who has muscular dystrophy.  It turned out great and worked really well!!


Additional Info:  
There are many websites out there on making rainsticks, all with the same general guidelines but a few different twist-off ideas from these guidelines.  (try googling create your own rainstick to find more websites than those listed below)
http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/water/Documents/HowtoMakeaRainstick.pdf
http://www.education.com/activity/article/South_American_Rainsticks/

Activity #7: Octaband

Activity: Octaband!


Target Participant Group: Children with physical and cognitive disabilities, senior adults, elderly population who have Parkinson's disease


Therapeutic Potential of activity: Promotes visual attention, coordination, motor planning, strength, endurance, promotes individuality and group cohesion, physical activity through movement, fine motor skills, awareness of others, encourages cooperation


Other Groups that may Benefit: This activity can be used for people of all ages and abilities. It is very open and can be  adapted to use with all populations!  The website suggests that it can be used for children with Autism/Asperger's, children with ADHD, individuals with psychiatric illness, individuals with substance abuse, and group activities with elderly.


Groups not fit for Activity: As stated above, this activity is great for people of all ages and abilities; however, it may be difficult to use with individuals who have extreme cognitive impairments or individuals that have had both arms amputated.


Activity Description:
The Octaband is a stretchy, spandex interactive tool that has a center circle with "legs" coming off of it.  You can purchase the Octaband with 8 legs or 16 legs. The Octaband website has an activity guide that provides different games, songs, and activities that are created to use with the Octaband.  For example, a kid's game may be placing an object in the center and having the individuals hold one of the "legs" and try to bounce the object without letting it fall off.  There are SO many games and activities that can be used with the Octaband.  The Octaband is great because it can be used for all different ages and has many benefits.  The activity guide is the best resource for various options/uses of the Octaband.


Resources Needed:   Octaband-- can be purchased online for 59.99 (8 leg) or 91.99 (16 leg).  This is a bit pricey; I think that one could be created easily for cheaper by sewing spandex material.


Best Leadership Style for Activity: This activity would be best with one or two facilitators, depending on the size of the group.  


Activity Source: I heard about this activity from an occupational therapist.  I researched it online to find out more about it. 


Additional Info: The Octaband website tells all! http://www.octaband.com/index.htm

The activity guide can be found here: http://www.octaband.com/activityguideforblog.pdf

Activity #6: Bubble Painting

Activity: Bubble Painting!


Target Participant Group: Children with MD, Individuals with Cognitive disabilities


Therapeutic Potential of Activity:  This activity has many potential therapeutic benefits including increasing attention span, boosting morale ( fun activity), enhancing creativity, and achieving a sense of pride in one's work.  This activity can also help with coordination by painting in a different way than the norm.


Other Groups that can Benefit: Other groups that may benefit from this activity include at-risk youth.  This activity would also be great for individuals who do not have much range of motion or strength in their hands such as children with muscular dystrophy.   This activity is very simple and fun and has the potential to be used with a wide range of individuals; however, I would aim this activity mainly for younger children. Groups that may not be appropriate include individuals with severe cognitive disabilities and the elderly population.


Activity Description: 

Cover the work surface with newspaper.

Pour a quarter cup liquid dishwashing detergent into a shallow dish. If you use powdered tempera paint, mix a small amount of water with the paint.

Add the paint mixture or liquid tempera to the dishwashing liquid until the color is intense.

Place one end of a straw into the mixture, and blow until the bubbles are almost billowing over the edge of the dish. (tip- place a piece of masking tape over the blowing end of the straw and poke a hole with a needle in order to prevent the painter from inhaling the paint)

Gently place a piece of construction paper or other paper on top of the bubbles and hold it in place until several bubbles have popped.

Continue this process with different colors, blowing more bubbles as needed.

To make a unique greeting card, use a piece of construction paper folded in half.

When dry, the individual can add drawings to the picture and sign their name if desired. 

   Materials:  

• Newspaper
• Liquid dishwashing detergent
• Shallow dish
• Tempera paint
• Straw
• Construction paper or other paper

Best Leadership Style: The best leadership style for this activity would include one or two facilitators, depending on the size of the group.  This activity is pretty low key and simple so a ratio of one facilitator per 10 kids would be sufficient. (depending on ability levels)

Activity Source: I found this activity on pinterest from the arts and crafts board. (someone blogged about it, see link below)  I have also seen it used with groups of children at summer camps in the arts and crafts area.

More Info: http://the-joy-of-my-life-and-other-things.blogspot.com/2010/01/kids-art-bubble-painting.html

Week Twelve: Long Leadership, Fitness & Games

   Last Thursday, we switched class plans around a bit because of the weather.  Only one group presented their long leadership activity.  We went to a racquetball court at the rec and began by stretching out a little.  We then played sheet volleyball.  We had two groups, each with one sheet, and we worked as a team to move the sheet in order to launch the volleyball.  I thought this game was creative and fun, but it did get old pretty quickly.  We then played a partner charades game.  There was an inner circle with one partner and the other partners made up the outer circle.  The leader called out a charade such as "churning butter" and we had to find our partner and act out the charade. This game was high energy and tons of fun! The last game was "humans vs. zombies".  This game was confusing to many at first.  We all closed our eyes and one person was the zombie.  When two people ran into each other, the humans would scream and the zombies would not.  If two zombies ran into each other, they would turn back to humans.  


   Overall, I liked the charades game the best and would consider using it in my future with a group of kids.  I would consider the sheet volleyball for individuals working on arm strength or fine motor coordination. (their hands holding the sheet)  I did not particularly enjoy the "humans versus zombies" game because I thought it was not very exciting and would be difficult to use with the intended population of individuals with visual impairments.  As facilitators, I would have planned more games and played them for shorter time periods.  The environment was also hard to hear them because their voices echoed.  I would have split the class into smaller groups and had one facilitator explain the games to each group.  


  I had a fun time trying out new games this class and participated with an open mind and also gave constructive feedback during the processing circle at the end.