Activity Name: Happy Place Reset
Time Required: 15 minutes
Ages: 11+
Introduction: This is a simple activity to do with your older kids to help them identify a safe place they can go during hard times. Throughout our lives, there will be moments when the stress and anxiety of failures and obstacles feel like it is overwhelming and too much. If we identify places to unwind, relax and ponder our lives–it can strengthen our resilience and give us the reset we need to forgive ourselves for any mistakes and face the challenges.
What you need:
- Anything with a reset button (game system, computer, router, almost anything electronic)
Instructions:
Start this activity by pointing out the object you’ve identified as something with a reset button. Ask the question, “What is this reset button for?” Answers may vary but will have something along the line of when something is stuck, not working, frozen–the reset button helps it restart and work again. Confirm their answers and relate this to life. At times there are times when we feel stuck, everything isn’t working out, we fail, we become frozen… it feels like we can’t move forward. Sometimes we need a reset as well. Explain that you want to talk about how we can push our very own reset button to start working again.
Step One: Find your happy place. Talk about the idea of a happy place as somewhere you can go to relax without distractions from people, messages, and stresses (use your own as an example). You can even visit your happy place with your family if it is readily accessible (it may be a park, a favorite place in the house, the bathtub, etc). Explain how to use that happy place to unwind. Ask them if they have a happy place and if they could all visit it or at least hear about it. If any of your kids don’t have a happy place, encourage them to find one and share it with you.
Step Two: In your happy place, think of all the things you’ve done right and forgive yourself for any mistakes you’ve made. This step is all about teaching the concept of positive self-talk. Discuss with your family the importance of positive self-talk and what that looks and sounds like.
Step Three: Once they feel relaxed, they are ready to hit their reset button and begin life again. Share with them any personal story you’ve had of hitting that reset button.
Encourage your family to practice this technique of resetting yourself in your happy place any time they feel like they have failed, they feel overwhelmed or stressed out.
Discuss:
- What is a reset button used for? What times do we feel like we need to reset? When do you feel stuck, like you’ve failed or you are overwhelmed or frozen? How could you reset your own self?
- Why is it important to find a place where you can be calm, away from distractions and stuff?
- Can you think of a time you’ve had to push your own reset button? How did you do it?
- What does it mean to forgive yourself?
- What does it mean to have positive self-talk?