Dream Big!

Have your child make a dream board with pictures of what they want for their future. For older kids, have them make a future diploma to hang on the wall to remind them of what they want to achieve!

If you have a child who has trouble identifying their emotions, pull out your phone and pull up the emojis in your messaging service OR download this chart. Help them identify what face matches how they're feeling and then talk through it.

Get Messy!

Make some slime, grab the play-doh, or go dance in the sprinklers!

Have your child draw a quick picture on a notecard or small piece of paper to help elicit information: draw me a picture of your house, draw me a picture of your school, draw me a picture of your family, etc. Give them one minute and then talk through the picture. 

Play a Game!

Gary Williams says his 14 year old girl loves to play Quarto and has beaten him more times than he'd like to admit. A full game normally takes 15 minutes or less and is probably good for a child who is at least 10.

Gary also recommends Cardinal's Mexican Train, a game that involves dominos and helps kids to think through next steps and plan strategy.

If you have a child who has had multiple placements, consider sitting down with them to make a list of safe homes in rank order. What did the child like about each one? What made them feel safe/unsafe in each home? If they could live ANYWHERE, where would they want to live? Who would they want to live with?

How about bringing a lunch to your child’s school? It could break the ice, build relationships, and your child won’t have to miss any class!