Try this activity with your afterschool group this week.
Purpose: The children experience the joy of belonging to different groups. Groups are based upon sharing common likes, characteristics, skills, talents, dislikes, abilities, special needs. There is no value judgment when celebrating this sense of belonging. One group is not better than any other. We praise and appreciate human diversity.
Activity: The group leader (teacher) holds up one sign at a time as the children sit in a large semi-circle. The signs should have words and pictures to help communicate the concept. Example of signs:
1) Loves to paint, 2) Enjoys dancing, 3) Hates spinach, 4) Wears glasses, 5) Needs help sometimes, etc.
• With each new sign, children who belong to that group stand in the front of the semi-circle and move their bodies to a chosen song (either sung by everyone or played on a CD player). The children who do not belong to that group join in the fun by clapping, snapping their fingers, stomping their feet.
• The last sign that should be held up should be the one that says, "Needs help sometimes". All the children get up at that point and dance.
• After the activity the children can be given construction paper and they must come up with their own groups. The activity now proceeds using the groups that the children create.
• Final discussion: How did it feel to belong to a group? Have you ever felt left out of a group? Let's talk about those feelings. Why are some children left out of groups? This can lead to a discussion of "differences" and "disabilities"
