Play With Your Food. Telephone Charades, Hula Hooping 11/18/10

This class definitely showcased how much innovative thinking members of our class are able to come up with.  With our activity, the play with your food, I thought it went really well.  The only thing I wish we could have changed was being able to have more time.  I think that if the class was given more time to formulate a plan of what they were going to create they would have used more of the materials we provided them with.  That being said I thought that everyone made really interesting creations and were able to represent the topics we gave them in a very interesting and thought provoking way.  I definitely think that this activity would be perfective activity for many populations because of the simple reason that it is unique and playing with food really lightens the mood of any situation.  It provides a relaxing environment and for people with anxiety or depression an environment where they can feel safe and at ease.  Once again I think that if more time were given to the class they would have been able to make more intricate and complicated designs/ creations.

I have heard of telephone charades before but never actually played.  I thought this activity was a lot of fun and it was very interesting how they described how it could be used for specific populations. I believe the population they chose to focus on was people with hearing loss.  This was a great example of an activity you could do with this population because not only can it incorporate several people, those with and without hearing loss, but also because it is a very physical and active game.  It allows people to use the creativity with coming up with the acting while also moving their muscles around and get their blood pumping. It could however be very intimidating for people who are shy and not comfortable with getting up in front a class and acting out a “goofy” skit.  This is definitely something that should be taken into consideration. I would say this activity should be done once people in a group know and feel comfortable with each other. This is not an ice breaker activity.

Since making the Hula Hoop, my roommates and I have been Hula Hooping every day.  At first I couldn’t figure out what we were going to use the hair dryers and tubing for.  I couldn’t think of anything that these two items would have in common. This was such an interesting activity because it is so simple but yet so beneficial and fun.  I have never been able to Hula Hoop but once they gave me some tips I became a successful Hula Hooper in no time.  This made me think about the population in which they focused on.  Troubled youth often have many obstacles or difficulties accomplishing things.  They may try and never meet the expectations that adults have set for them.  Let’s say that one of these kids have never tried Hula Hooping before or has never been able to do it. Guiding and teaching them how to do this particular skill will make them feel as a sense of accomplishment.  If they are able to succeed in Hula Hooping may been seen as a big or small accomplishment, but it is still progress none the less. This could open discussion about challenges in their life and what steps that they can make to succeed. Giving them confidence in themselves is in my opinion the first step to self help and if you, as a TR, are able to accomplish this with Hula Hoops, then why not??  I really liked how the group tied in the social aspect of this activity by explaining how it can help be break out of their shells since you need a partner to help you in making the actual Hula Hoop.  Finally I was shocked at what a work out I got!!!

Overall I thought everyone did a GREAT job.   We definitely deserve a pat on the back J