Goodbye for now family time
HANDPRINTS
Using paper or the ready-made canvas’s you can buy cheaply. Alternatively, you can put extra hand cream on the palm and press it down firmly onto dark coloured paper (sugar paper works best) then sprinkle talc on top to reveal the print.
SALT DOUGH HANDS/ HEARTS
Using a simple recipe of half a cup salt to one cup flour and roughly half a cup water, you can get to a good dough that can be made into things, printed on to or carved into, and can then be left to air dry or slow baked and painted/varnished for keeping memories.
HEART PICTURE
Two papers into 3x3 squares. On one sheet cut out the smaller squares and draw a heart shape in each square. Hearts can be coloured in, decorated, written in, stuck onto, glittered etc, and the nine hearts arranged in any combo on the 3x3 paper.
SPECIAL HANDSHAKE
(see Theraplay games above)
MEMORY BOX
Make and decorate your own special box to keep special things in to remind you of each other. This can be one for the child and one for the adult, and some items can be shared (e.g. a special blanket cut in two) or the adult makes one version for the child and vice versa? Memory boxes work well if they are build up over the time of the family sessions, and the adult is able to give the child permission to add other memories in to this as they grow.
WOOL/INVISIBLE STRING GAME
Hold the end of a ball of wool and throw the ball to a family member whilst saying a good memory you share or something you will remember or like about them. The ‘catcher’ of the ball holds onto part of the wool and throws the ball on. Keep this going until you have a web of connections. Sit down together and read ‘The Invisible String’ story (available at both Centres) Throw the wool back the same way to disconnect, and wrap up the wool to go into the child’s memory box with a copy of the story and/or post-its with memories written on.
PHOTOBOOTH
Buy disposable cameras or an instant camera and make your own funny photo booth by bringing dressing up hats/clothes, funny moustaches, beards, or glasses. Print these out big?