A compilation of innovative and motivating sessions for children. Each activity teaches children to better understand themselves and their behaviors.

Included are activities that:

promote the expression of feelings

help children cope

enhance self-esteem

develop and enhance social skills

enhance group cohesion, cooperation, and team work.

In addition, the book includes an extensive section on the meaning of Activity Centered Therapy (ACT) and guidelines for making the presentation of these activities as beneficial as possible. The easy-to-read charts helps the facilitator to present the appropriate activities at the appropriate time during the group process.

The reproducible Group Intake Form, Group Note Form for keeping records of each session and the Assessment Of Group Member Progress chart make record-keeping for these groups easy.

Each activity includes explicit directions, materials needed, and reproducible activity sheets if needed. These interesting titles and interactive games will attract and keep children’s attention as they participate in the learning skills that are necessary for a well-rounded life.

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TOPICS: Feelings, coping, self-esteem, social skills, cooperation

INCLUDES: Facilitator instructions, activities

GRADE LEVELS: 2-5

FOR USE WITH: Small groups, adaptable for classrooms

AUTHOR: Susan Ciardiello

RECOMMENDED FOR: elementary-school guidance counselors, social workers

Perfect bound, paperback, 160 pages

ACTIVITY CENTERED THERAPY (ACT) FOR GROUP WORK WITH SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

A Research-Based Book on Activity Centered Therapy

By Susan Ciardiello

Based on the recognized theory of Activity Centered Therapy, the author, a certified social worker in New York, has used this theory to enhance the social and emotional competency of her students. The program is the result of her interaction with students in small group counseling and the extensive bibliography which cites 46 published resources that give credence to the format and material in this program.

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ASCA STANDARDS FOR Activities For Group Work With School Age Children

ACT Groups Part I:  A Therapeutic Melting Pot

Personal/Social Development

Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.

 

• PS:A1               Acquire Self-Knowledge
• PS:A1.1            Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person
• PS:A1.2            Identify values, attitudes and beliefs
• PS:A1.3            Learn the goal-setting process
• PS:A1.5            Identify and express feelings
• PS:A1.9            Demonstrate cooperative behavior in groups
• PS:A1.10          Identify personal strengths and assets
• PS:A1.11          Identify and discuss changing personal and social roles

 

• PS:A2               Acquire Interpersonal Skills
• PS:A2.1            Recognize that everyone has rights and responsibilities
• PS:A2.3            Recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual differences
• PS:A2.6            Use effective communications skills
• PS:A2.7            Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal behavior

 

 

Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals.

 

• PS:B1               Self-Knowledge Application
• PS:B1.1            Use a decision-making and problem-solving model
• PS:B1.4            Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
• PS:B1.11          Use persistence and perseverance in acquiring knowledge and skills
• PS:B1.12          Develop an action plan to set and achieve realistic goals

 

Standard C: Students will understand safety and survival skills.

 

• PS:C1               Acquire Personal Safety Skills
• PS:C1.7            Apply effective problem-solving and decision-making skills to make safe and healthy choices
• PS:C1.10          Learn techniques for managing stress and conflict
• PS:C1.11          Learn coping skills for managing life events

 

Part II: Activities that Promote the Expression of Feelings

 

Personal/Social Development

 

Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.

 

 

• PS:A1               Acquire Self-Knowledge
• PS:A1.1            Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person
• PS:A1.2            Identify values, attitudes and beliefs
• PS:A1.5            Identify and express feelings
• PS:A1.6            Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
• PS:A1.8            Understand the need for self-control and how to practice it

 

• PS:A2               Acquire Interpersonal Skills
• PS:A2.2            Respect alternative points of view
• PS:A2.6            Use effective communications skills
• PS:A2.7            Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal behavior
• PS:A2.8            Learn how to make and keep friends

 

Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals.

 

• PS:B1               Self-Knowledge Application
• PS:B1.1            Use a decision-making and problem-solving model
• PS:B1.2            Understand consequences of decisions and choices

 

Part III:  Activities That Help Children Cope

 

Personal/Social Development

 

Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.

 

• PS:A1               Acquire Self-Knowledge
• PS:A1.1            Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person
• PS:A1.2            Identify values, attitudes and beliefs
• PS:A1.3            Learn the goal-setting process
• PS:A1.4            Understand change is a part of growth
• PS:A1.5            Identify and express feelings
• PS:A1.6            Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
• PS:A1.8            Understand the need for self-control and how to practice it
• PS:A1.9            Demonstrate cooperative behavior in groups

 

• PS:A2               Acquire Interpersonal Skills
• PS:A2.1            Recognize that everyone has rights and responsibilities
• PS:A2.6            Use effective communications skills
• PS:A2.7            Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal behavior

 

Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals.

 

• PS:B1               Self-Knowledge Application
• PS:B1.1            Use a decision-making and problem-solving model
• PS:B1.2            Understand consequences of decisions and choices
• PS:B1.3            Identify alternative solutions to a problem
• PS:B1.4            Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems

 

Standard C: Students will understand safety and survival skills.

 

• PS:C1               Acquire Personal Safety Skills
• PS:C1.5            Differentiate between situations requiring peer support and situations requiring adult professional help
• PS:C1.7            Apply effective problem-solving and decision-making skills to make safe and healthy choices
• PS:C1.9            Learn how to cope with peer pressure

 

Part IV:  Activities That Enhance Self-Esteem

 

Personal/Social Development

 

Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.

 

• PS:A1               Acquire Self-Knowledge
• PS:A1.1            Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person
• PS:A1.2            Identify values, attitudes and beliefs
• PS:A1.4            Understand change is a part of growth
• PS:A1.5            Identify and express feelings
• PS:A1.6            Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
• PS:A1.9            Demonstrate cooperative behavior in groups
• PS:A1.10          Identify personal strengths and assets

 

• PS:A2               Acquire Interpersonal Skills
• PS:A2.1            Recognize that everyone has rights and responsibilities
• PS:A2.3            Recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual differences
• PS:A2.6            Use effective communications skills
• PS:A2.7            Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal behavior
• PS:A2.8            Learn how to make and keep friends

 

Part V: Activities That Enhance Social Skills: Self-Awareness

 

Personal/Social Development

 

Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.

 

• PS:A1               Acquire Self-Knowledge
• PS:A1.1            Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person
• PS:A1.2            Identify values, attitudes and beliefs
• PS:A1.4            Understand change is a part of growth
• PS:A1.5            Identify and express feelings
• PS:A1.6            Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
• PS:A1.9            Demonstrate cooperative behavior in groups
• PS:A1.11          Identify and discuss changing personal and social roles
• PS:A1.12          Identify and recognize changing family roles

 

• PS:A2               Acquire Interpersonal Skills
• PS:A2.1            Recognize that everyone has rights and responsibilities
• PS:A2.3            Recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual differences
• PS:A2.4            Recognize, accept and appreciate ethnic and cultural diversity
• PS:A2.5            Recognize and respect differences in various family configurations
• PS:A2.6            Use effective communications skills
• PS:A2.7            Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal behavior
• PS:A2.8            Learn how to make and keep friends

 

Part VI: Activities That Enhance Social Skills: Problem Solving

 

Personal/Social Development

 

Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.

 

• PS:A1               Acquire Self-Knowledge
• PS:A1.1            Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person
• PS:A1.2            Identify values, attitudes and beliefs
• PS:A1.4            Understand change is a part of growth
• PS:A1.5            Identify and express feelings
• PS:A1.6            Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
• PS:A1.8            Understand the need for self-control and how to practice it
• PS:A1.9            Demonstrate cooperative behavior in groups
• PS:A1.11          Identify and discuss changing personal and social roles

 

Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals.

 

• PS:B1               Self-Knowledge Application
• PS:B1.1            Use a decision-making and problem-solving model
• PS:B1.2            Understand consequences of decisions and choices
• PS:B1.3            Identify alternative solutions to a problem
• PS:B1.4            Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
• PS:B1.5            Demonstrate when, where and how to seek help for solving problems and making decisions
• PS:B1.6            Know how to apply conflict resolution skills
• PS:B1.7            Demonstrate a respect and appreciation for individual and cultural differences

 

Standard C: Students will understand safety and survival skills.

 

• PS:C1               Acquire Personal Safety Skills
• PS:C1.2            Learn about the relationship between rules, laws, safety and the protection of rights of the individual
• PS:C1.3            Learn about the differences between appropriate and inappropriate physical contact

 

Part VII: Activities That Enhance Group Cohesion, Cooperation, and Team Work

 

Personal/Social Development

 

Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.

 

• PS:A1               Acquire Self-Knowledge
• PS:A1.1            Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person
• PS:A1.2            Identify values, attitudes and beliefs
• PS:A1.3            Learn the goal-setting process
• PS:A1.6            Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
• PS:A1.8            Understand the need for self-control and how to practice it
• PS:A1.9            Demonstrate cooperative behavior in groups

 

• PS:A2               Acquire Interpersonal Skills
• PS:A2.1            Recognize that everyone has rights and responsibilities
• PS:A2.2            Respect alternative points of view
• PS:A2.3            Recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual differences
• PS:A2.6            Use effective communications skills
• PS:A2.7            Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal behavior
• PS:A2.8  Learn how to make and keep friends

 

Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals.

 

• PS:B1               Self-Knowledge Application
• PS:B1.1            Use a decision-making and problem-solving model
• PS:B1.2            Understand consequences of decisions and choices
• PS:B1.3            Identify alternative solutions to a problem
• PS:B1.4            Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems

 Standard C: Students will understand safety and survival skills.

 

• PS:C1               Acquire Personal Safety Skills
• PS:C1.7            Apply effective problem-solving and decision-making skills to make safe and healthy choices

 

American School Counselor Association (2004). ASCA National Standards for Students. Alexandria, VA: Copyright 2004 by the American School Counselor Association

 

Activities For Group Work With School Age Children © 2003 MARCO PRODUCTS, INC. 1443 OLD YORK ROAD, WARMINSTER, PA 18974

ACTIVITIES FOR GROUP WORK WITH SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN

Targeted Population: All students, students with special concerns

Program Components: 6 topics, 50 activities, Latency chart, Use of Activities Chart Assessments, step-by-step directions for each activity

Applicable For:

ARRA: Improving Student Achievement
Peer Relationships (Peer Relationships, Peer Interaction, Self-Esteem/Self-Understanding)

Title I, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies
Personal and Social Growth (Character Education, Peer Interaction, Peer Relationships, Self-Esteem/Self Understanding)

Title V, Part A: Innovative Programs
Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Programs (Peer Interaction, Peer Relationships, Work and Self)