Art Therapy Tool Kit for Engaging Children who have Experienced the Trauma of War

‘This is an angel protecting our sky’- M. 5 years old (Ukraine war)

 

Art Tool Kit

For all who work with children of war.

 

The directives included here are invitation based and trauma informed. For free access to the research informing this work please download the PDF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction: for the adult in the space

 

🌱be curious

🌱every child is unique in their experience

🌱safety and gentleness is most important

🌱there is no expectation for the art produced and no judgements…enjoy the process

🌱be curious

🌱the children in your care are survivors, they are capable and they are healing

 

Terminology explained: 

 

Invitation based- all of the activities, ideas shared in this Tool Kit can be interpreted in any way a child needs to. When working with the directives offered here, nothing is mandatory. The directives are an offering and a gentle guide, not a strict manual. Therefore, children are invited to participate not made to or expected to.  

The directives included here are invitation based. If a child decides to go their own way in exploring their artistic expression, they should be allowed to do so. To clarify further, if a child in your artistic care decides to create something that is completely different from the directive offered that is ok. A child may feel intimidated or uninterested in the presented activity, allowing for the freedom of choice is helpful in and of itself. There is no pressure on you as the facilitator or the child in your care to produce according to what’s offered. Enjoy the creative process. 

 

Grounding- offering a sense of being in the present, in the body. This is important as a common experience of trauma is disassociation. Art can be a mindful activity that allows children to safely be in their bodies and environments, in the now (Jaworski, 2020). Navigating environment- encouraging attention to what is now, safety, bringing in a sense of self in the now. Paying attention to what is, noticing, being curious. 

 

Presence- being emotionally and physically aware of the moment. 

 

Establishment of physical safety- gently demonstrating that in this space and time it is physically and emotionally safe. 

Materials- every directive offered in this Tool Kit comes with a listed set of materials. However, if you have more to offer and engage the children with, please use them. Examples of art materials that can be used that are not on the lists provided are (not limited to): clay, plasticine, playdoh, water colour paint, acrylic paint, scented markers, tapestry, cut outs, textiles, buttons, etc.  

 

SECTION 1: Orienting in space and time​

 

‘Draw what you see’

 

(Grounding, navigating environment, presence, establishment of physical safety)

 

Materials:

 

• paper 

• Pencils, crayons, pencil crayons, pens 

 

Instructions:

 

Every participant gets paper and a choice of what they would like to draw with.

 

Place the extra paper and drawing tools on a desk, a table, the floor.

 

Invite the children to look around the room, to look up, look down, look ahead, look behind them. 

 

Encourage paying attention to specific objects in the space. Eg. a clock on the wall, a chair, the pattern of the floor, a window etc.

 

Give choice, children can chose to walk around the space or to stay where they are.

 

Now ‘draw what you see’. Participants can chose to draw one item or multiple items. 

 

They can have the choice of taking more paper, choosing a new material to draw with, to colour or not. 

​
 

‘Fantastic maps’

 

(Grounding, navigating environment, presence, establishment of physical safety, orienting in space)

 

Materials:

 

• paper

• Colored pencils, crayons

 

Instructions:

 

Every child gets paper and colored pencils.

 

Invite the children to imagine their walk, drive, to the art space from their bed. 

 

Ask: 

 

What do they see on their way to the art space?

Do they make any turns?

Do they pass any trees, stores, people, bushes, animals, street lights, buildings, tents, etc.?

What colors do they see on their way to the art space?

What sounds do they hear?

What is the ground like? Is it paved, rocky, even, bumpy? Is there grass? Is there dust? 

 

Invite the children to draw out their route as they imagine it, to create their own ‘Fantastic Maps’.

 

**accuracy of color or of the route itself is not important. 

 

 

 

‘Draw what you see- outside version’- 

(if a safe outside space is available)

 

(Grounding, navigating environment, presence, establishment of physical safety)

 

Materials:

 

• paper

• portable hard surface to draw on. Eg; thick cardboard, sketch pads with a harder back, sketchbooks (if accessible)

• crayons, pencils

 

Instructions:

 

Every participant gets paper and something to place the paper on to be able to draw (I.e piece of cardboard or a sketchbook and crayons or a pencil.

 

Invite the children to look around, to look up, look down, look ahead, look behind them. 

 

Encourage noticing what is around them, what they can see. Eg. trees, grass, rocks, bugs, light posts, discarded objects, etc.

 

Give choice, children can chose to walk around (make sure that the perimeter is safe) or to stay in one place.

 

Now ‘draw what you see’. Participants can chose to draw one item or multiple items. 

 

They can have the choice of taking more paper, chosing a new material to draw with, to color or not. 

​
 

SECTION 2: Community through identity

​

‘Our magic town’

 

(Collaboration, imagination, collaborative problem solving, presence, strength of community)

 

Materials:

(The materials listed below are based on availability of resources… if you do not have some of the items, the directive can still be completed and engaged with)

 

I.e. This directive can either be a collaborative drawing on a flat surface, or a 3D structure or a combination of both. 

​

• paper

• Scissors

• Adhesive materials (eg. glue, tape, staples etc)

• Drawing materials (Crayons, markers, pastels, etc)

• Construction paper 

• Plasticine

• Paint 

• Recycled/found objects (eg. plastic bottles, food containers, cereal boxes, milk cartons etc.)

• Large piece of cardboard (eg. An old cardboard box that is flattened out)

• Large piece of bristle board

 

Instructions:

 

This directive starts with a collaborative discussion. Tell the children that together, with all of materials available, they will be building their own world/town/city. 

Invite the children to talk about, as a group, what they would include in this world. Encourage using imagination, there are no bad or impossible ideas. The ideas presented do not need to be ‘practical’ or realistic. 

Eg. If a child wants a ‘magic portal slide’, that’s perfectly acceptable. 

 

Some questions to lead the discussion:

 

What do you want our magic town to include?

What fun things would you want included?

What would make our town feel cosy?

What would keep our town safe?

What magic powers will our town possess?

 

Allow the children to collaboratively work on creating a town that is inclusive of all ideas and to build, draw, paint, freely. 

 

This directive can be continued and be built upon over a long period of time. More can be added as the town grows.

 

‘Songs and colors’

 

(Cultural identity, presence, strength of community, mindfulness, beautification of space)

 

Before engaging with this directive, please ask the community and/or the children in your care what music they love to listen to. What songs do they love? What songs are culturally significant. 

Have a playlist ready for the art session. 

 

Materials:

 

• paper

• Something to play music on 

• Chalk and/or chalk pastels, and/or watercolor paint, and/or oil pastels, and/or crayons, and/or markers etc.

 

Instructions:

​

Give each child paper and coloring materials. 

Invite the children to listen to the music, to sing along if they wish and to draw whatever comes to mind. 

 

Encourage the children to focus on colors, patterns and shapes, to draw what they hear, or how the music makes them feel. 

 

There is no limit on number of drawings made by each child (as much as materials will allow).

 

At the end of the session, give children a choice of whether they would like to hang up their work in the classroom, to take it with them or to throw it out. 

 

​

‘Folk tales’

 

(Cultural identity, presence, strength of community)

 

Before you begin with this directive, some research may be required. Ask the children and the community about stories and folk tales and legends that are culturally significant to your group. 

You may need to write the story down or to find a copy on the internet and if really lucky, someone may have a printed version available.

 

Materials:

 

• paper

• A printed/written down copy of the story for every child 

• Coloring materials- markers, crayons, pencil crayons 

• Staples or paper clips or clothes pins 

 

Instructions:

 

Start the session with a reading of the story, folktale, legend.

Invite the children to pay attention to the characters and the message of the story.

 

Give each child paper and coloring materials. 

Invite each child to create a cover for this story. 

 

At the end of the session, give each child a copy of the story and attach their illustrated cover using whatever you have available. (Staples, paper clips etc.)

 

Every child gets a copy to take with them with their own unique cover.

 

 

 

‘Hidden gems’

 

(Exploration of self, autonomy, empowerment, presence, giving back, community)

 

This activity is about creating something nice to leave/hide for others to find. 

 

Here you will be working with objects found in nature, like smooth rocks or little branches.

 

Materials:

 

• paint (acrylic)- if available 

• Chalk

• Rocks, small branches

• Permanent markers (if available)

• Sparkles, glue, stick on gems (If available)

 

Instructions:

 

Let the children know that the idea for this art activity is to create little gifts, treasures for others to find.

 

If possible, go with the kids to find smooth rocks or small branches that they will later decorate.

 

The ‘treasures’ can be decorated in bright colors and/or include messages that would make someone happy.

 

Invite the children to be creative and playful. 

 

Once the treasures have been created, invite the children to take them and leave them in places for others to find. 

​

 

SECTION 3: Uniqueness of individual experience 

​

‘Handprint’

 

(Exploration of self, body awareness, emotional awareness, presence, identity)

 

Before you begin with this directive invite the children to discuss what kind of emotions they know or have felt. 

 

Questions:

 

What feelings do you know?

Where do you feel your feelings?

Where can you put them to keep them safe?

 

Materials:

 

• paper (big enough to fit two handprints on it)

• Drawing materials (eg. Pencil crayons, markers, pencils, colored pens)

 

Instructions:

 

Give each child paper and coloring materials. Children are free to chose whatever colors they wish.

 

Invite each child to put one hand on the paper and trace with all of the fingers, then the other. 

 

Every finger gets to be a feeling, the feelings can be repeated. 

 

The palm of the hand is “Where can you put the feelings? Eg. A treasure chest, a closet, a bag, a backpack, your shoes, your brain, your stomach etc.

 

*This directive can be repeated with tracing the feet.

 

​

‘Magic Creatures’

 

(Imaginative play, creativity, self empowerment, problem solving)

 

Before you begin with this directive have a discussion about magical creatures that the kids know. 

 

Questions:

 

What makes them magic? 

What can they do? 

What are their abilities? 

What magic power would they want to have?

 

Materials (whatever is available):

 

• paper

• Adhesive materials (eg. glue, tape, staples etc)

• Drawing materials (Crayons, markers, pastels, etc)

• Construction paper 

• Plasticine

• Paint 

• Recycled/found objects (eg. plastic bottles, food containers, cereal boxes, milk cartons etc.)

 

Instructions:

 

Children get to create a creature of their very own, using any material they want that’s available. 

 

The idea is for every child, to create, in their own way, their very own magic creature with all of the powers they wish to include.

 

Children may chose to draw their creature or to construct it in 3D. 

 

Important: give your magic creature a name!

 

*This directive can take multiple sessions to complete.

 

 

 

‘Who am I - self portrait’

 

(Exploration of self, autonomy, empowerment, presence, identity)

 

Before you begin with this directive have a discussion about the things the kids like and dislike, what makes each one unique.

 

Questions:

 

What are you good at?

What makes you you?

What is your favourite color?

What is your favourite thing to do?

What are you proud of?

What do you love?

 

 Materials:

 

• paper

• Drawing materials

 

Instructions:

 

Children are invited to create an image of themselves keeping in mind the ideas they came up with during the group discussion.

 

The image can look like a portrait or be a full body representation. It may or may not have a background.

​

​​