Explore the concept of feeling positive and reaching for your ambitions through the process of storytelling.
What you’ll need: Paper, pen and scissors
What’s it for?
This activity will help you to focus on who supports you as you think about your hopes. This can help you to become more resilient in a creative and fun way!
Check In:
Notice how you’re feeling right now. Close your eyes and notice what’s going on inside your mind and body.
How are you feeling?
What are you thinking?
How does your body feel?
Method:
We’re going to use shapes to think about a story that you create. Using paper and scissors cut out six large shapes. For example, you could cut out a star, a heart, a triangle and some made up shapes of your choice. For each shape, you can write or draw a step of the story.
First, decide who the main character is going to be. Maybe it’s a story about a brave knight or about a clever princess? Write down their name on the first shape.
Second, decide what your character is hoping for. What is their mission? Perhaps they are trying to get somewhere or help someone. Write down this hope in your second shape.
Next, imagine if there is another character or a special object that is helping your character to get to the thing they are hoping for. This could be another character, like a magical fairy or a best friend, or a skill like being a ninja!
For shape number four, imagine what obstacle or problem might prevent your character from getting to what they hope for. Maybe there is an evil monster trying to stop the clever princess, or a big river between the frogs and their home. Write this obstacle down on the shape.
Now it’s time to decide what the main character is going to try! How are they going to try to get past the obstacle or problem? Write down what they decide to do on shape number five.
For shape number six, it’s time to imagine what happens at the end of the story. How does it end? Did the hero of your story achieve what they hoped for? Write or draw the ending of your story on your last shape.
Now that you have finished your story, lay your shapes out on the floor in the shape of an arch, like stepping stones over a river. Just like stepping stones help you cross over a river, your story has a main character figuring out a way to reach their hope by getting over a problem.
Tell your story by stepping on the floor next to each shape as you get to that part of the story. What would it be like to be the main character? How would they feel as they achieved their hope?
Extra Activity: You might like to share your story with someone else in your home. Could you use a dance or act out each step of the story?
When you’ve finished, spend a moment reflecting on the activity and ask yourself the following questions:
How do you think the main character felt at the beginning of the story? What about at the end?
What is something that you are hoping for?
Who are the people or things in your life that help you to achieve your hopes?
Did you learn anything new about yourself while you did this activity?
Conclusion:
This activity helps you to identify the feeling of being positive and the process of reaching this point through step by step movements across the bridge of hope to your end point of success.
Take a moment to notice how you are feeling at the end of this activity. Did you discover anything surprising? What can you take away to make you feel better about yourself from this activity?
If you would like to, share something about your experience with this activity with someone you live with! Ask the person who looks after you to send us an email if you have any questions or comments about the activity, or would like to send us any pictures (info@catcorner.co.uk). Don't forget to subscribe for more fun CAT activities!
Created by Sarah Kong © March 2020
Creative Arts Used: Art and Dance
Psychological Areas Explored: Emotional Wellbeing, Resilience and Self-Exploration
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These activities could be done by children of all ages, but some may need the support of their parent or carer to read the instructions or complete the activity safely.
This website was made by CAT Corner to help you explore your feelings through fun creative arts activities. The people using the website and the people responsible for them need to make sure they stay safe (full disclaimer on About page).
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