Running header: THERAPEUTIC GROUPS 1

Therapeutic Groups

Sarah Wilson

Texas Christian University

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Crash and Bump (15-20 minutes)

Topic:​ Regulation, Stick Together!

Need(s) Met: ​Sensory needs: ​proprioceptive​ (specifically noted under challenges as a need for

our camper!), vestibular, and tactile.

Materials:​ A soft blanket and a textured matt, a rock or small all for hopscotch, weighted ball (5

pounds max), bubbles, two exercises balls, a variety of weighted items (e.g. blankets, stuffed

animals), bubble wrap, and a mini trampoline.

Procedure:

1. The children will choose a station to start at, have each pair of buddies and child at a

different station to begin.

2. The children will rotate through the stations following the instruction cards for each.

Procedure for each station:

1. Log Roll Station: The child and buddy will take turns doing log rolls over a soft blanket

and a textured matt for sensory input over the entire body, as well as vestibular input

through rolling. (60-90 seconds)

2. Hopscotch Station: The child will play hopscotch against their buddy. Make sure the

child is alternating between one foot and two feet when jumping for vestibular input

through balance. (3 minutes)

3. Catch Station: Pass the weighted ball between child and buddy for proprioceptive input.

(2 minutes)

4. Bubbles Station: Blow bubbles for tactile, oral motor, input.

5. Exercise Ball Station: Bounce on the exercise ball for vestibular input. (60 seconds)
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6. Thumb War Station: Sit with the weighted items (optional) while playing thumb war, or

rock paper scissors if touching is not appropriate for the child, for proprioceptive input. (2

minutes)

7. Bubble Wrap Station: Stomp on the bubble wrap for tactile input. (60-90 seconds)

8. Wheelbarrow Station: run to and from the wall in wheelbarrow position with buddy

holding child’s legs for proprioceptive input. (30-60 seconds)

9. Mini Trampoline Station: bounce on the mini trampoline for proprioceptive input (30-45

seconds)

10. Wall Push Station: push on the wall for 60 seconds for final proprioceptive regulating

input. This station should be at the end with everyone.

Nurture Group (30-45 minutes)

Topic: ​ No hurts inside or outside! (to ourselves/self worth). One of the goals of camp for our

camp family is for the target child to develop self worth.

Need(s) Met: ​Relationships and regulation, attachment needs.

Materials:​ Assorted band aids, plastic spoons, bubble gum, “I’m Gonna Like Me!” by Jamie

Lynn Curtis, construction paper/flower printable, scissors, coloring utensils.

Procedure:

1. The group will come in and sit in a circle on the floor.

2. First are the rules, Stick Together (clap hands together), No Hurts (cross arms to make

X), Have Fun! (happy, jazz hands).

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3. Following rules, do a check-in question. For this activity we will do:“If you could be a

food, what food would you be and why?”. Everyone in the circle should answer this

question one at a time, passing a talking stick around to practice respect and taking turns.

4. Next is bandaids. Each person will choose a band-aid, they will then ask their partner if

they have any inside or outside hurts. Explaining the difference between an inside

(emotional) hurt, and outside (physical) hurt may be necessary if this is the first nurture

group. They will then ask where the hurt is and ask their partner for permission to put a

bandaid on the hurt.

5. The activity:

a. Read the book “I’m Gonna Like Me!” aloud.

b. Tell children the importance of loving themselves, and feeling proud of who they

are because they are amazing! We can give ourselves inside hurts by not talking

nice about ourselves.

c. Pass out flower print out and tell the children to write one thing they love about

themselves on each petal. They are free to decorate the flower however they

would like.

d. The petals can then be folded up into the center and the children can keep it with

them for if they feel discouraged throughout the day.

6. Feeding: Feed each other a piece of gum with a spoon, making sure to ask permission

before. Child must go ask the Nurture Group leader respectfully for a piece of gum

practicing good eye contact and respect.

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7. Closing: Let’s all do a celebratory wiggle dance to celebrate our wonderful practice of

respect and self love!

Movement Group (15-20 minutes)

Topic: ​Regulation

Need(s) Met:​ Sensory

Materials: ​Optional yoga matts, speaker to play music.

Procedure:

1. Activity: Have the whole group participate in doing the “Jump on it!” dance. My family

indicated that dance is one of my target child’s very favorite things to do. This

synchronized dance is easy to catch onto and will provide a very fun way to meet her

sensory needs.

2. Structure Group: To calm down after our “Jump on it!” dance, we will do a few easy

yoga poses that provide both vestibular and proprioceptive input:

a. Downward Dog: With the weight of the child distributed between their hands and

feet, their need for proprioceptive input is met. This is also a very easy position

for all ages.

b. Air Plane: The child stands on one for with the other ended behind them and their

arms out like an airplane. This position provides vestibular input through balance,

and is fun to make into an imaginative game.

c. Tree Post: The child stands on one foot with the other foot against the inside knee

of the grounded leg, and arms up above the head. This is again a balancing
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position for vestibular input. This position is a little more challenging for younger

children, but the challenge can be fun!

d. Warrior: this position requires the children to be in a lunge with one foot forward

and arms to the sky. This provides great proprioceptive input as well as an

opportunity for more imaginative play, which is great for 5-6 year olds

development.

Life Skills Group (30-45 minutes)

Topic:​ Our Actions Have Consequences (

Need(s) Met:​ Attachment, regulation, and relationships; teaches how to identify and process

emotions, transitions, grief, and/or loss. Our family indicated that the target child struggled to

control emotions and had frequent outbursts of tantrums,

Materials:​ construction paper, scissors, markers, ziploc bags

1. Rules: Stick Together, No Hurts, Have Fun! (same as nurture group).

2. Feelings Check: go around and ask each person to share one feeling they are feeling in

that moment.

3. Regulation: have each person check their engine and mark their feelings on the engine

plate, then review ways to either regulate or stimulate.

4. Activity:
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a. Ask the group if anyone has ever felt angry. If there are hands, ask someone to

describe what it feels like to be angry, then what they do to calm down after being

angry.

b. Have the student’s appropriate and inappropriate ways to deal with anger.

c. Make a ‘Calm Down Sandwich’ by writing a tool for calming down on each

ingredient of the sandwich! Put in ziplock bag to take home.

5. Feelings Check: Repeat same feelings check as above.

6. Closing: Thank everyone for their participation in the group. As anger is a deeper subject,

doing something light hearted to end is good. For this group get up and play a game of

simon says with time left over.

Art Group (20-25 minutes)

Topic:​ Gentle and Kind

Need(s) Met:​ Sensory and attachment

Materials:​ dog stuffed animals per person, bone cut outs, construction paper, scissors, tape,

markers, crayons.

Procedure:

1. Each child will get to ‘adopt’ a dog stuffed animal to be theirs.

2. They will then decorate a bone for their dog and make it a collar.

3. Stressing the importance of a caregiver’s role in the dog’s life (providing it food, water,

clothes), the children will make the dog their own and show it love.
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Our camp family expressed that the target child not only loves dogs, but experienced a loss of

caregiver which has given her doubt in her parent’s love for her. Understanding love and

relationships through this art group is so important for my target child.

Sensory Group (20-25 minutes)

Topic:​ Cooperate and compromise

Need(s) Met:​ Sensory input (proprioceptive for target child!)

Materials: ​ Scooters, inflatable bowling pins, blankets.

Procedure:

1. Group Activity:

a. Each child will be given a scooter.

b. They will lay on their stomachs on the scooter, and use their hands to give one big

push (proprioceptive input) into the bowling pins to see how many they can knock

down.

c. Take turns within groups and repeat for remaining time.

2. Calming Activity: Hot Dog game

a. Have the child lay on a blanket while their buddy rolls them up in the blanket to

make a ‘hot dog’.

b. The buddies the child what condiments they want on their hot dog and then

pretend to ‘spread’ the condiments on them for sensory input.

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Speech Group (20-25 minutes)

Topic:​ With respect/Permission and supervision

Need(s) Met: ​Regulation, relationships.

Materials:​ Mad Libs for kids, plastic ball, markers.

Procedure:

1. Have the children come in and sit in a circle on the floor.

2. Explain the rules of the game:

a. We will be playing Mad Libs today! This is a story-telling game where you make

the story! This ball will be our talking stick so if you do not have the ball you

should remember our no hurts rule and respect the friend who is talking. When

you have the ball I will ask you to say a word for me, for example: a color, action,

place, etc. When you answer let’s practice good eye-contact, then at the end I will

read the whole story we have created together!

3. Play the game.

4. Thank everyone for their respect with taking turns and using good eye contact.
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References

Alescia Ford-Lanza MS OTR/L, A. (2017, September 21). What is vestibular input and what

therapy helps? Retrieved from ​https://harkla.co/blogs/special-needs/vestibular-input

Barbara. (1970, January 01). Strategy Sandwiches. Retrieved from

https://corneroncharacter.blogspot.com/2012/08/strategy-sandwiches.html

M. (2019). Proprioceptive - best practice. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from

http://sensory-processing.middletownautism.com/sensory-strategies/strategies-according-

to-sense/proprioceptive/

Sensory processing disorder parent support. (2017). Retrieved from

https://sensoryprocessingdisorderparentsupport.com/sensory-yoga-proprioception-vestibu

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