Bring together what is important to you as a family network using a decorative crest and reflect on the key values that provide security and nurture
What you’ll need: Paper, coloured pens and scissors
What’s it for?
This activity highlights the importance of being a unit and enables reflection time to think about our beliefs and the values around what makes us feel safe as individuals and what this can offer to others in our extended relationships
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 make a family crest. A crest can be any shape, but is often the shape of a shield. You can draw this freehand, or download a template from the internet.
Using coloured pens write down key words that highlight positive aspects of your family and what you believe in - these could include:
Respect
Love
Persistence
Support
Unity
Forgiveness
Leadership
Resilience
How many other words can you think of that are meaningful to you as a family unit?
How about making up an acronym (initial letters of each word to pronounce as a word) E.g.: TEAM - Together, Enthusiastic, Adoring and Mystical
How about including a motto or slogan at the bottom of your crest such as 'we laugh, we cry, we care, we love' or 'our family makes the most of every moment'
Decide on which colour best represents your family theme?
Draw an animal onto the crest that best captures the traits of your family?
Finish off your family crest with some final decorations, cut it out and display this so that your family can appreciate it
If a family member is not in your household share this by taking a picture and sending this to them
Extra Activity:
If you want to elaborate on this idea, how about making a 'friendship crest' to highlight all the positives in your close relationships following the same outline.
When you’ve finished, spend a moment reflecting on the activity and ask yourself the following questions:
How did you feel thinking about your family and what did this mean to you personally?
Did this process enable you to think about family members who you have not seen recently?
Is there a particular family member who you are missing and can feel more connected using your family crest?
Did it come naturally or did you need to dwell on choosing the symbols, colours and animals? Did you feel a sense of pride during this activity?
Conclusion:
This activity promotes the feeling of pride in thinking about family background and celebrating multiculturalism. Using symbols, colours and animals can support ideas and create additional meaning that link to family connections and develop further to ongoing friendships and peer relationships.
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 © September 2020
Creative Arts Used: Art
Psychological Areas Explored: Emotional Wellbeing and Relationships
If you enjoyed this activity, you might also like: My Circle of VIPS: Create a picture to think about the very important people in your life.
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.
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