Activity Name: Turn It Over
Time Required: 15 – 60
Ages: All Ages
Introduction: This activity is an art activity designed to help frame something that isn’t worth anything or something negative, and look at it in a new light. It is a metaphor for flipping the switch and looking at a situation with a new perspective.
What you need:
- Rocks
- Paints (acrylic works fine)
- Paint brushes
Instructions: To start this activity you will begin by sharing that sometimes life can be hard like a rock. You could also phrase it that life can be dull, boring, or meaningless. Take your kids outside and say, let’s find some rocks that appear ordinary, have no value, etc. The flatter the rock, the better the activity will turn out. We would recommend finding rocks just bigger than the size of your hand. You may have to strategically find some rocks and put them near your yard for your kids to find when they come out. After everyone chooses a rock, take them inside and wash them off. Make sure you get all the dirt off of the rock.
Explain that the goal is to make one side of the rock beautiful. Whatever they think beautiful looks like, they can use the paints to make one side of the rock beautiful. Maybe it will represent your child. You can inspire them by saying, paint one side of this rock to represent everything you like about you. As a side note, you can also spray the rocks with a glossy finish spray if you want to go the extra mile to protect the paint and make it shine.
When your kids have finished painting the rock, use it for an object lesson. Explain that many times in life, things will look and be hard or dull or meaningless like the unpainted side of the rock. All you have to do is learn to flip it over (just like flipping the switch in the resilience for youth curriculum) to see it in a new way.
You may want to keep the rocks in the front yard and encourage your kids to turn the rock over and look at both sides if they are every having challenges they need to see in a different way.
Discuss:
What makes the rock seem so hard, dull, or meaningless?
What does the painted side of the rock represent?
Are there challenges in your life that are hard, dull, or meaningless?
What can you do to flip the switch to look at those challenges in a different way?