When You Get Stuck On a Visit:
Top 5 "on the fly" activities
by Kathy Petefish, MS, MSW, CPDT
I have been on visits where I have spent hours the night before preparing the perfect activity that will absolutely, without a doubt, change the world and the perceptions of the girls with whom I was visiting. I mean, I just knew this activity was going to be a hit!
I would arrive for the visit full of ancipation, and then enter the cottage...insert scary Jaws music here...only to find things in total chaos, or 6 of the girls had run away, or one of the girls had hit another girl and they were all fighting and tense. And I would quickly discern that playing Animal Jeopardy or Apples to Apples (self made dog edition that took hours to make. Grrr.) was just not going to work that day.
So what to do if the activity you planned won't work? Or if you start an activity and it goes faster than you thought or it was just kind of a flop? My answer to this is to have the materials and knowledge of at least 5 of what I call "on the fly" activities. These are activities that apply to all ages, require little to no preparation, and are generally enjoyable and instructive to the kids. So...insert drumroll...here is a list of the Top Five On the Fly Activities:
5. The Training Game
4. Feelings Charades/Fido Charades
3. Find the Dot/All Over Dot Check
2. Whisper Time
1. Compliment Paper Pass
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Example of "The Training Game" at teen group home. |
To find out out what supplies are needed and how to incorporate the activites into your visits, please go to our volunteer forum. If you have questions on these or other activities, please contact Kathy or Patti.
