Draw a staircase where each step represents a good deed. Reward yourself when you reach the top!
What you’ll need: Paper, coloured pens or pencils.
What’s it for?
Doing positive things for other people promotes your own sense of meaning and wellbeing in your life. It also helps support a sense of belonging to your family, friends, and wider community.
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 a piece of paper draw a staircase with five steps, leave space on the top stair.
On the top of your staircase draw or write down a reward for yourself. This should be something that you really enjoy, preferably involving another person - such as going to the park with your older sibling. Make sure you ask them first! This is how you will treat yourself once you’ve completed all the steps.
On each of the steps write down a good deed that you can do. You might choose a variety of different types of activities: for example: on your first step, you might decide to help your younger sibling with their homework; on the second step, you might decide to tidy your room without being asked; on the third step, you might decide to call someone that you think would like to hear from you; on the fourth step, you might decide to help with the washing up after dinner; on the fifth step, you might want to thank someone who has helped you by writing them a note or drawing a picture.
If you can use any particular talents that you have for your deeds, all the better. For example, if you’re good at drawing and you have a friend that is unwell, why not create a get well card for them with a lovely picture on the front?
As you do each of your good deeds, colour in the step. If you use coloured pencils you should still be able to see the writing underneath.
Use a different colour for each step so that when you’ve completed all the steps it will look very colourful and fun!
When you’ve finished and climbed all the way to the top of your good deed staircase, you deserve your reward!
Extra Activity: If you want a harder challenge, you could draw your staircase with more steps with more deeds to complete before gaining your reward..
When you’ve finished, spend a moment reflecting on the activity and ask yourself the following questions:
Did you learn anything new about yourself while you did this activity?
How did it feel to do your good deeds?
What was it like to reach the top? How did it feel?
How did the recipients of the good deeds respond?
Conclusion:
Research in positive psychology teaches us that doing good things for others can lend meaning to our own lives and help embed us within our families and communities.
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 2021
Creative Arts Used: Art
Psychological Areas Explored: Emotional Wellbeing, Self-Esteem, Relationships
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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.
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