Body Awareness Game

Introduction

The Body Awareness Game is designed as a series of therapeutic activities primarily for boys. Healthy, happy boys appreciate their bodies, love their muscles and enjoy feats of strength, often in the form of sport. Boys who have emotional problems often do not appreciate their bodies, use negative language about themselves and their bodies, and deny their own strength.

This book is based on the view that many emotional problems are held within the body. The game consists of 64 activities divided into eight sections, in different colours, each activity relating to the body. The activities on the following eight pages can be cut out and laminated for use. Included is a wide range of activities, from focusing on the taste and texture of chocolate to learning to do handstands.

These activities can be used for any therapeutic individual or group work. They can be used in a directive or nondirective way.

In nondirective individual therapy the child might choose a card at random and, with the therapist’s help, take part in the activity. In directive group or individual therapy the therapist selects cards in advance and encourages the individual or whole group (including the therapist where feasible) to take part. Cards from the different sections could be used or the emphasis could be on one or two categories.

The Body Awareness Game is played without therapeutic comment. It enables the boy to assimilate into his body the therapeutic changes he needs. It could be considered especially for boys who dissociate their feelings. These include those who have problems of enuresis or encopresis, head banging or being accident prone. It might also be effective with boys who have dyspraxia, as well as those with autistic spectrum or sensory processing difficulties.

Please note that not all the activities are suitable for every boy. The therapist knows her clients and can select those most suitable or remove those that she considers unsuitable or unhelpful for a particular client.

Roger & Christine Day

Sample game from the book:

Make-a-pizza massage

Materials needed

None, but plenty of imagination is useful.

Instructions

The idea of this massage exercise is to make an imaginary pizza gently on your client’s back, putting on some of your own and his favourite toppings. If you are working with a group, the ideal way is to stand in a circle, including you as the facilitator, turn to the right and make a pizza on the back of the person in front of you. Warning: This exercise needs cooperation from all group members. You might need to establish a contract of gentleness before you start or else things could get out of hand and people could end up with being karate chopped!

Here are some suggested words for guiding this exercise:

‘Now we’ll make a pizza on each other’s backs. First spread some flour on the surface. Now knead the dough. Then smooth it out into a circle to make a base. Spread on the tomato paste. Now for the toppings. First put some slices of ham on, then dot the olives all over the pizza. Add salami, sprinkle with corn, dot mushrooms here and there, and add slices of tomato. Now sprinkle on the cheese. Put it in the oven. Slice it, and now eat it, making lots of munching noises.’

You could explain how to do each movement or you could leave it up to the children’s creativity.

Finally, ask the boy/s how he/they are feeling after that exercise.

Objectives

This is a way of group relaxation. But above all, it is a way of having fun. It shows effective loving and caring to others in a way that boys can accept.

Now that you have sampled one activity, why not buy the whole book? There are 64 activities, divided into eight sections, with an introduction to each section. Use it with groups of boys or mixed groups. The book costs £12 plus £4 postage and packing. Send an email requesting the book to:

brookcreativetherapy@gmail.com

We will then invoice you through PayPal. Payment is easy and extremely safe. If you prefer, send a cheque for the correct amount (payable to Roger Day) to:

Brook Creative Therapy, Brook Cottage, 16 Burnside, Rugby CV22 6AX