Art Therapy Program for School Children

• 10 minutes: Each group begins with some form of ritual where everyone in the group introduces themselves, goes over the rules of the group, and a plan for the two hour group will be discussed.
  
• 40 minutes: Art making activity that involves a two dimensional art element.
  
• 10 minute break for students to have a snack.
  
• 40 minutes: Art making activity that involves a three dimensional element.
  
• 10 minutes: Processing of the activity and time spent in group.
  
• 10 minute clean up.
  

8 Week Course Plan

Over the course of 8 weeks, thestudents will be encouraged to be creative on an individual basis in order to promote self expression as well as work in groups in order to learn social skills. The first three weeks will focus on self. The second three weeks will use activities that promote trust in the group. The final two weeks will focus on making a group mural project, promoting positive and supportive interaction within the group.

Week 1: Introductions, establishing rules, and Web Game. Aball of yarn is passed from one group member to another over a large piece of paper. Group members are asked to tell something about themselves, then tape their yarn to the paper. After the yarn is passed to multiple group members, a web is formed on the paper. Group members are asked to fill in the spaces made by the web with markers and colored pencils drawing what they talked about during the game.

Week 2: Name Scrolls. Group members will be asked to make a variation of their name with appropriate symbols and shapes. After the task is done two dimensionally, the group will be asked to paint the symbols on canvas scrolls and personalize them.

Week 3: Self portraits. In the first hour, the clients will be encouraged to make self portraits on paper. In the second hour, felt and other fabrics will be used to construct puppets that represent the group members.

Week 4: Boxes. Group members will be encouraged to decorate the inside and outside of pre made boxes; the inside of the box representing the inside self (self-perception), and the outside of the box represents the outer self (how others perceive the group member).

Week 5: Dream Pillows. Group members are asked to write down a dream and place it inside a pillow. Once stuffed and sealed into the pillow, group members will be asked to decorate the outside pillow. Canvas will be used to make images relating to the dream inside with paints and will be attached to the front of the pillow.

Week 6: Wish Tree. Group members are asked to construct a tree out of wire, felt, colored paper, and yarn. At the base of the tree is a wish. After constructing the trunk and branches of the tree, group members are asked to spell out the wish on the leaves of the tree.

Week 7: Beginning the mural project - Mural People. Group members are asked to trace themselves on cardboard. Group members can decorate these cardboard silhouettes with fabric, paint and markers.

Week 8: Finishing the mural - Mural Environment. Having constructed the mural people last week, this final week will focus on making an environment for the people to live in. A large canvas will be placed on a wall for group members to paint on. After this project is complete, the mural people will be attached to the project.