Page 51 - Meeting with Children Manual

Section 4

P a ge | 49

YIELD:
The Family Play Genogram provides a relational map. By using symbols to represent
family members, children can express thoughts and feelings about people in their
family. Vulnerabilities and strengths in the family system emerge as well as learning
about supportive and difficult relationships. The child/youth’s role in the family
system may also become quite clear. An important visual representation of where the
conflict and support lies in the system also emerges.

Add the information you gathered to the CYCS after the meeting.

ACTIVITY 6. BEAR CARDS

Best for 5 years to teen
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare by laying out a large piece of Butcher’s paper. List each person in family across
the top of the page… Mum, Dad, Jane and Bob. Have all The Bear Cards out on the
floor. Ask the child/youth to choose the cards that remind them of mum, dad self and
sibling etc. and places it in the column under each name. Ask what made them choose
which bear for the person and write it in the column. Most children/youth choose
multiple pictures for family members. Sometimes you will need to extend the length
of the paper to allow for a lot of pictures.

Script

I have another activity for you to try out. As you can see, I have a big
piece of paper here with the names of your family across the top and you
are here to (point to child’s name). I have a lot of pictures of different
looking bears on the floor. I would like you to come over and take a look
and find ones that remind you of you, your dad, mom and your
sisters/brothers. Include any people that live in either home. You can pick
as many as you want to put under each person’s name. Child then chooses
and you help to place the pictures under each column.
After the child is finished ask:
What reminded you of this one for dad? And go through each one and
write beside the picture the child’s verbatim.

For younger children (5-7yr olds), you may have to be creative and vary this activity.
One such elaboration is to use paper and draw a “puddle” on the page and proceed
to make one for each person in the family. Use a pop-gun (or some action-oriented
item like a bean-bag for them to target toss onto a bear card) and have the child “pop”
the ones that remind them of each person and get them to put the card in the puddle.
You could ask why they chose the ones they did as they go, and write it in the puddle.
Younger children need all of the above modified to be fun and active. You will then

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