Use your body to communicate feelings without using words!
What you’ll need: Small slips of paper, a pen or pencil, one other person
What’s it for?
This activity is a small funny game for two people. It works best when the people are more-or-less the same size, but can be done with an adult, too, if necessary. It helps you to realise how you can communicate feelings without using words, and without even looking at the person communicating! This game does involve some gentle physical contact so make sure everyone playing is careful and respectful of others.
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:
On the slips of paper (make some if you don’t have any by cutting up a sheet of paper) write down some different feelings: happy, sad, angry, disappointed, excited, giggly, sleepy (you can choose some of your own, if you want to).
Fold the slips of paper up so that you can’t see the written feeling word.
Sit back to back on the floor so that your backs are lightly touching.
Player one selects one of the slips of paper, reads the feeling, and tries to express the feeling ONLY by moving their back - no words or other gestures!
When Player two guesses correctly, it is their turn to select a slip of paper, read the feeling, and try to express the feeling ONLY by moving their back.
The game finishes when all the feelings have been used up.
Extra Activity: Maybe try the same game, but only by holding hands! Can you express all these different feelings just through your hands?
When you’ve finished, spend a moment reflecting on the activity and ask yourself the following questions:
How easy or challenging was it for you to express different feelings using only your back?
Were you surprised by how much you could express just using your body?
Conclusion:
This activity shows you that communicating with others is more than just about words!
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 Ian Grundy © March 2020
Creative Arts Used: Drama, Dance
Psychological Areas Explored: Communication, Relationships
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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