I am volunteering on Saturday at a children's group home. It's a program where we make breakfast with the kids (see below). After breakfast we have about an hour with a small group of kids.

Any ideas on good crafts or a game to do with the kids? I am looking for something that won't be stressful for emotionally hurt kiddos, but will let them exercise thier creativity and feel comfortable around us.

All ideas appreciated. Thanks.

Edgewood Center for Children
• The Breakfast Club is an opportunity for volunteers to meet Edgewood’s children at our Vicente Campus and make breakfast with them. The Campus is a residential treatment facility for children with severe emotional disabilities. The Breakfast Club provides a safe and structured way for them to develop social skills and interact with the community.

Who are the Edgewood children?
• The children range in age from 6 to 16, and live in one of four cottages, or group homes: Stow, Lane, Dimond, and Halleck. Most of our children have experienced abuse and neglect, resulting in emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges. They receive intensive multidisciplinary services at Edgewood until they are ready for a lower level of group care, family reunification, or foster care.

How does the Breakfast Club work?
• The morning begins with an orientation about Edgewood, the residential treatment program, and the children we serve. Volunteers are divided into four teams and assigned to a cottage. With staff supervision, volunteers prepare and serve breakfast for the children. All food is provided for the simple menus. Clean-up is followed by quiet time in the cottages, then an optional group recreational activity.

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Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney

Good cause ((((osuche))))

I just woke up but my brain didn't follow...lol! I know others will have plenty of ideas though. Good luck!

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Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~

((((Lixy)))) ~~ go and drink some coffee and get back to me, hun.

__________________
Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney

So great! Do you know how old the kids you will be assigned to are? Are the houses are divided by age appropriateness or are they in family units?

I know they are 6-16 but that is a huge jump in abilities. You only have about an hour?

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The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

If I wanted your opinion, I'd remove the duct tape and ask you for it.~ Me
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
One man's dream is another man's nightmare~~~~> §¤ Lilith ¤§
~>My Scribbles<~
==>Gone Shopping<== ~Just a Quickie~ *~A Celebration Vacation~* ~Surprises~ Sleeping With the Window Open
What Did You Do Today? Self Defense Class ~Short Sweet Snippets~ § Summer Spin § Story Challenge Submission Pajamas

I don't know exact ages, but I think ours will be older (10-14 ish) and yes we only have an hour.

I was *hoping* you would see this thread... and might tell me a little something about what I should and shouldn't do with these kids. ((((Lil))))

__________________
Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney

Don't assume they will be on the same developmental level as what you used to be at 10-14. Some will act more mature and some less. Seems like abused kids grow up too fast or refuse to. Keep in mind these kids typically have education issues (but other types of smarts) so activities that are physical or do not involve reading will be good ones.

Here is a link of some online crafty sorts of things
http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-cr...er-camp-crafts/

One thing my boys like is beans. You can buy a bunch of different kinds and colors, get some old jar lids and paint them with spray paint then just pour in some glue and let them turn them into mosaics. Better, because it requires fine motor, for older kids. You could get magnets for the back of them. They would be able to take this where ever they go.

Another cool activity that I have seen and kids loved it is also a lesson on symmetry. Print pics of animals off the web (color) but make sure that when you cut off half the picture a kid could make the other half. In other words faces of animals looking head on work best. Let the students try to create the other half and color using colored pencils.

Game- my kids love "Quiet Ball" kids stand on chairs silent and they toss a foam or small ball. Talk=out, bad throw= out, missed catchable throw=out, arguing over a call= out. Last one standing wins. If it get to take too long make them do it one hand behind their back.

One thing you may want to try is to get pictures of the kids. They may not have many of themselves. You could do the old standby polaroid pics and make frames.

__________________

The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

If I wanted your opinion, I'd remove the duct tape and ask you for it.~ Me
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
One man's dream is another man's nightmare~~~~> §¤ Lilith ¤§
~>My Scribbles<~
==>Gone Shopping<== ~Just a Quickie~ *~A Celebration Vacation~* ~Surprises~ Sleeping With the Window Open
What Did You Do Today? Self Defense Class ~Short Sweet Snippets~ § Summer Spin § Story Challenge Submission Pajamas