Happy November! We are thankful that Florida has such highly trained supervised visitation staff and programs committed to family safety and child wellness!
Attached is the November E Press that contains information, advice, practice skills and even craft ideas! Be sure to read it, and join us in the next phone conference!
We hope that you spread some Thanks this month to your clients and staff!
Questions from Directors:
We have a judge who is very supportive of the program and we keep him up to date about the program. The only problem is that he asks for certain people to supervise the case. He doesn’t have a favorite person, but sometimes says : “This case should be monitored by the Director. Or this case needs to be given to a male.” We are so grateful for his support, but this is becoming a problem. Does anyone else have it?
From time to time, judges have asked for very experienced staff to take certain cases because of their complexity. Programs do the best they can to accommodate those rare requests. In your case, however, the judge doesn’t understand that his frequent requests are interfering with your ability to staff your cases. For example, if a male is not working on the day the parent can visit, you are put in the double bind: you either cancel the visit, which negatively impacts the parent and child, or you disregard the judge’s request, which is never seen as a strong move. In addition, such requests undermine the authority of the director, who is, after all, the person who is responsible for the program’s administration. My advice, as awkward as this may feel, is to go to the judge and speak to him. Explain that you are proud of his support, and you are grateful for his confidence in the program. (Always start these conversations on a very positive note.) Then explain that when he asks for a certain person to supervise the case, he puts you in a difficult position. Personally, I would start with the lack of resources. Don’t be afraid of saying something like “In a perfect world we would have unlimited resources and could accommodate many specific requests.” Also, be clear that you staff your cases thoroughly and aim to provide the best visit possible for all families. If necessary, you can mention that families question your decisions if you use a monitor at visits whom the judge did not recommend (which may undermine your authority). End on a positive note about the judge’s essential role in referring cases and protecting families. At the end of the day, what judges care about is protecting families. You are on the same side.
Is there a code of conduct for employees at supervised visitation?
Yes – it is on page 73 of the Report to the Florida Legislature
Catching the Good and Praising Your Child
By Kimberly Newby
Parents should make sure that when they catch their child doing something good, they provide support to encourage those positive behaviors. This is an important skill that can be practiced at supervised visitation. The following tips can help parents understand appropriate ways to praise a child and examples of how to be more specific about praise.
After learning about appropriate praise, parents can look at the Example Praise Chart. A blank chart is provided at the end for parents to put on their fridge and keep track of the praise they offer to their child.
- Be sincere. As a parent, be careful not to use generic praise such as “That’s great” or “Awesome!” as a way to brush off your child. If this becomes a habit, your child may be less likely to believe you when you are giving sincere praise. It is important that you take the time to listen to your child and only praise when it’s appropriate.
- Notice good behavior. A child should be positively praised whenever he or she does something right. Children need to hear encouragement from you as a parent to develop a healthy level of self-confidence. It is important to point out good behaviors as they happen so that your child will continue to do these behaviors. For example, you could say, “I am so proud of you for picking up all of your toys today; you did such a great job!”
- Comment on good qualities. When praising your child, it is important that you focus on the positive and consistently comment on your child’s good qualities such as being humble, positive, or kind. Pointing out qualities that are unique and positive to your child will make him/her feel valued and recognized. For example, you could try saying “I really appreciate how organized you are with your schoolwork. I am proud of what a great student you are!”
- Be specific. Only using phrases like “great job” are not specific enough for children to understand. Try to specify what you appreciated about your child’s actions as much as possible. For example, “You did a great job helping out Mom do the dishes! We love how helpful you are.”
- Praise the effort, not the outcome. Your child should be praised for the effort put into an activity, regardless of the outcome. If your child puts effort into doing a good job, praise his or her hard work to encourage future efforts.
- Be realistic. Giving realistic praise helps your child learn how to judge him or herself fairly. Realistic praise can help your child understand that improvement is possible, motivating him or her to try again. For example, you could say to your child, “You’re getting better at baseball every single day! I remember there was once a time when you could barely throw the ball and now look at you! You made it to first base today!”
- Praise any positive, new behavior. Any new behavior requires focused praise to encourage repetition. For example, if your child usually has to be told to take his or her plate to the sink but does so on his or her own without being asked, you could say, “Wow, what a big boy/girl! I am so proud you did that on your own.”
- Praise should encourage self-motivation, not a cash reward. Positive reinforcement through praise or acknowledgement helps encourage behaviors more than cash or gifts. Your child will be self-motivated to continue behaviors due to the good feeling experienced when successful, rather than from the material things he or she can acquire.
- Praise should not suggest expectations. Praising your child about being a “natural” at school or in a sport may cause your child to feel pressure to always succeed in that subject. Instead, focus on the effort your child puts into an activity to praise things in his or her control.
- Pay attention to how your child is feeling. If your child is frustrated with something, don’t just jump to praise. Discuss your child’s feelings first, and then help him or her see the positive side of what he or she tried to accomplish. Praise the effort that was put into the activity and offer to help your child improve. For example, if your child tried to draw you a picture but is frustrated and unhappy with it, you could say, “Drawing can be really tough; a lot of artists have to practice for years before they can get a drawing just right! Would you want to try art classes to practice your skills?”
References
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/the-right-way-to-praise-your-kids
http://afineparent.com/mindset/praising-children.html
Example of “Our Good Week” Chart to tape to your fridge
| DAY | PRAISE |
| 4/5/15 | To Sarah: It was very sweet of you to share your toys with Jimmy today, Daddy really appreciates it. |
| 4/6/15 | To Jimmy: Congratulations on receiving a gold star in class for being the most patient in the lunch line. |
| 4/7/15 | To Jimmy: You teacher says you worked hard on your flower pot drawing in art class today. I’m proud that you gave it your best. |
| 4/8/15 | To Sarah: You got a B! You’ve improved so much since your last science test! You just proved to yourself that you should never give up. |
| 4/9/15 | To Jimmy: I really like that song you sang. Would you mind teaching me how to sing it? |
| 4/10/15 | To Sarah: I know you’re really nervous about the soccer game, but you’ve practiced really hard this week. No matter how it turns out, you’ve done your best! |
| DAY | List one or two things your child did well today |
| Sunday | |
| Monday | |
| Tuesday | |
| Wednesday | |
| Thursday | |
| Friday | |
| Saturday |
New Movie about Adverse Children Experiences
Communities across the U.S. are hosting the new documentary “Paper Tigers.”
http://www.papertigersmovie.com/ From the website
Paper Tigers is an intimate look into the lives of selected students at Lincoln High School, an alternative school that specializes in educating traumatized youth. Set amidst the rural community of Walla Walla, WA, the film intimately examines the inspiring promise of Trauma Informed Communities – a movement that is showing great promise in healing youth struggling with the dark legacy of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES).
Exposure to chronic and adverse stress (and the altered brain function that results) leaves a child in a fruitless search for comfort and escape from a brain and body that is permanently stuck in flight or fight. That comfort comes in the form of drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, sex, food and more.
Every year, millions of unloved and traumatized youth enter adulthood with damaged brains and hearts. They are highly predisposed to die from self-destructive behaviors, and highly likely to continue the cycle of abuse. Even those who do not engage in self destructive behaviors are highly predisposed to get cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and immune disorders.
The impact of unloved and traumatized children on society is profound and widespread. 85% of inmates were traumatized as youth. 27% of hospital visits can be traced to causes linked to childhood trauma. Hurt kids grow up to hurt people. The generational cycles of trauma and abuse are as stubborn as they are tragic.
But there is hope. There are doctors, researchers, teachers, nurses, social workers and law enforcement officers that are turning the tide against the cycle of trauma and abuse. A movement is rising, one that sees aberrant behavior in children as a symptom rather than a moral failing. This movement asks not what is wrong with our youth, but rather what has happened to them. The paradigm is shifting from punishment and blame to a deeper commitment to understanding and healing the underlying causes of aberrant behavior. With this shifting paradigm comes the promise of great improvements in many of the society’s costly ills: less crime, less illness, less teen pregnancy, abuse, rape, divorce.
Simply put, it is cheaper to heal than to punish. Paper Tigers takes a look at what is possible.
Developing Protective Factors: Parental Resilience
By Lindsay Greene
Introduction
Parents face many challenges while raising children. These challenges, coupled with the events and experiences of daily life can make the process of child rearing very difficult and taxing for parents. These challenges are called stressors, they come in many different forms and put added pressure onto a parent causing even the most dedicated moms and dads to feel overwhelmed. Despite the added stress, however, parents have strengths and coping skills which allow them to endure and bounce back from the stressors in life. This is referred to as parental resilience. As the first component of the six protective factors E-press series, the information from this E-press will help parents implement parental resilience in their lives as a way to reduce the likelihood of violence within their family. Supervised visitation monitors can also use this information to help parents develop and strengthen parental resilience as a protective factor.
Objectives
This document provides the following information about parental resilience:
- The importance of parental resilience
- Tips for managing stressors
- Characteristics of a resilient parent
- Resources to promote resilience
The Importance of Parental Resilience
When a family is confronted with stressful situations, a child will look to his or her parents for reassurance, strength, and guidance on how to cope. Research shows that how a parent handles these situations can have a greater impact on the child than the stressor itself. When a parent responds to a difficult situation with patience, positive coping methods, and uses effective problem solving skills a child will feel safe and supported as a member of a strong and resilient family.
Tips for Managing Stressors
The following tips may be useful for parents to manage stressful situations. Monitors may print these out for parents or encourage parents to implement these strategies in their lives.
- Take a deep breath. When you are feeling overwhelmed by a stressor some immediate relief can come from closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths to clear your mind and refocus on the issue at hand.
- Reach out to friends and family. The support that comes from your social connections can be valuable when dealing with stressors. Identify people in your life who are trustworthy and understanding. Share with them your thoughts and concerns about the stressors you are facing.
- Get active. Research shows that exercise can provide immediate relief during a stressful time. Take a walk, go for a swim, or dance it out and feel a sense of refreshment that can last for hours.
- Take a break. When a situation is very stressful it can be hard to think about much else. Give yourself permission step away from the issue to focus on what you need to relax.
- Do something that you enjoy. Whether it’s settling in with a good book, taking up a new hobby, or having coffee with a friend, it is important to leave time for the activities which you are passionate about. This time will help you diffuse the stress of the day.
Resilient Parents…
The following points will provide a picture of what a resilient parent looks like.
- Prioritize self-care. Parents that make healthy eating, exercise, and rest a priority will model good practices for their children and be well positioned to cope with crises and support their family.
- Remain calm when frustrated. A parent who uses his or her coping skills effectively when confronted with stress can manage a crisis with a clear and level mind.
- Engage social resources. A parent that has a strong social network is able to call on family, friends, and community resources, such as religious organizations and groups, to help in a crisis, as well as to provide comfort and stress relief.
Conclusion
Building and strengthening resiliency can allow parents to be best prepared to handle the stressors which arise in life. Using these tips, available resources, and coping skills, parents will be able to effectively confront challenges and support their children in feeling secure and confident.
References and Resources
Beardslee, W.R., Avery, M.W., Ayoub, C. C., Watts, C.L., & Lester, P. (2010). Building resilience. Zero to Three. Retrieved from: http://www.zerotothree.org/maltreatment/31-1-prac-tips-beardslee.pdf
FOCUS. (2013). Power up your parenting. Nathanson Family Resilience Center. Retrieved From: http://www.familyresourcecenters.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Power-Up-Your-Parenting-Nathanson-Family-Resilience-Center.pdf
Henderson, N. (2007). Hard-wired to bounce back. Resiliency in Action. Retrieved From: https://www.resiliency.com/free-articles-resources/hard-wired-to-bounce-back/
Forthun, L.F., Carannante, S., Diehl, D.C. (2011). Strengthening families: Parental resilience. Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Retrieved from: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FY/FY124300.pdf
Gordon, D. (2013). Resilience helps families cope with stress. Nathanson Family Resilience Center. Retrieved from: http://nfrc.ucla.edu/news/2013-01-07/resilience-helps-families-cope-stress
Gordon, D. (2013). Coping mechanism. Nathanson Family Resilience Center.Retrieved From: http://magazine.ucla.edu/depts/lifesigns/coping-mechanism/
Virginia Department of Social Services & James Madison University Department of Psychology. (2011). Developing resilience and strengthening families. Virginia Child Protection Newsletter. Retrieved from: http://psychweb.cisat.jmu.edu/graysojh/pdfs/Volume093.pdf
Tartakovsky, M. (2011). 10 Practical ways to handle stress. Psych Central. Retrieved from: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/07/11/10-practical-ways-to-handle-stress/
Goldsmith, B. (2011). Talk about your problems, please. Psychology Today. Retrieved From: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/emotional-fitness/201103/talk-about-your-problems-please
American Heart Association. (2014). Four ways to deal with stress. American Heart Association. Retrieved From: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/StressManagement/FourWaystoDealWithStress/Four-Ways-to-Deal-with-Stress_UCM_307996_Article.jsp
American Psychological Association. Five tips to help manage stress. American Psychological Association. Retrieved From: http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/manage-stress.aspx
Child Welfare Information Gateway. Retrieved From: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/promoting/protectfactors/resilience/
Center for the Study of Social Policy. Retrieved From: file:///C:/Users/Institute/Downloads/SF_ProtectiveFactors%20(1).pdf
Communication Skills for Monitors
Monitors must use healthy communication techniques to effectively engage families in supervised visitation, but they can also use this as an opportunity to model healthy communication to parents for use in their own families. Consider the many benefits of healthy communication when choosing your communication methods during a visit.
It can help you and your clients to:
1) Better understand other’s perspectives and situations
2) Resolve conflicts
3) Build respect and trust
4) Create an environment that supports new ideas and problem solving
Tips for Communication as a Supervised Visitation Provider
- Encouraging attitude: engage the participants in communication through encouragement. Examples might be, “Tell me about your child” And “When you have the children at home, how do you play?”
- Paraphrasing: repeat back to the client what he or she is saying in a different fashion to assure the client that you understand what is being conveyed: “OK…What I hear you saying is______.”
- Open and closed questions: use questions that require short answers as well as those types of question that allow more information to be conveyed. For example, “I’m very interested. Tell me what games you play at home.”
- Be genuine, warm, professional, and respectful: be respectful of cultural differences and family differences. It is also important to avoid being condescending or patronizing of families different from one’s own.
- Be assertive: direct participants to respond appropriately, in a firm and respectful manner.
- Give directions: state specific outcomes and get feedback so it is clear that the recipient understands the message.
- Practice non-verbal skills: this includes non-verbal communication, such as head nods and eye contact. Non-verbal communication can also be as ineffective as poor verbal communication. Visit monitors need to be aware of how their everyday posture, gestures, and body-space may affect communication.
- Use confrontation only when appropriate, such as when a child is put at risk during a visit.
Communication Blockers to avoid:
- Don’t use surprise exclamations: such as, “That’s awful! I never heard such a thing!”
- Don’t criticize: such as, “You are just not acting like you care at all today.”
- Don’t ask “Why” questions- they tend to make people defensive.
- Don’t patronize: “You poor thing, I know just how you feel.”• Don’t preach: “You should always…”
- Don’t interrupt – this shows you are not interested.
- Don’t make false promises: such as, “I’m sure you’ll get your children back in the next month.”
- Don’t threaten or coerce a parent: such as, “If you don’t go in that room and see your child right now, I am going right to the judge, and he won’t be happy.”
There are a few strategies that can help you become a better communicator and that you can teach and model to parents to encourage healthy communication in the family and home.
Strategy #1: Active Listening
Successful listening involves understanding how the speaker feels about what the speaker wants to communicate, not just the words being said. Active listening involves re-stating or paraphrasing what you hear to confirm that you have heard.
How to Listen Effectively:
1) Remove as many barriers to listening as possible, such as the TV, computers, or telephones. Listening barriers can also be psychological, like emotions, or they can be physical, such as noise or visual distractions. Barriers also can include distractions, trigger words, vocabulary differences, and limited attention spans.
- One common barrier to listening is called the shift response, or the tendency of listeners to turn the topic of conversation to themselves without showing interest in the speaker’s topic of conversation. If you ever think of what you are going to say next while someone is talking to you, you have engaged in this communication barrier. Be careful not to get distracted in conversation.
2) Put your full focus on the speaker. Face the speaker, sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show your attentiveness, and maintain eye contact.
3) Avoid interrupting, or redirecting the conversation to your own concerns. Truly focus in the moment on what the speaker is saying.
4) Show your interest. Respond appropriately, verbally and nonverbally. Use encouraging “mhmm” or “okay” responses, nod, raise eyebrows and use prompts, such as, “What did you do then?” Think of what would help encourage you in conversation and then apply that to the speaker.
5) Focus solely on what the speaker is saying. It can be hard to focus, but try your best not to think of what you will say next. It will help the conversation flow more naturally.
6) Minimize internal distractions. Try to let go of your distracting thoughts and continuously re-focus your attention to the speaker.
Common Methods to Show Active Listening
| Method | Description | Example |
| Restating | Paraphrase the speaker’s point to make sure you understand. | “So I hear you saying…” |
| Summarizing | Bring together separate pieces of a story or problem and check that you are connecting them correctly. | “So it sounds to me as if…” |
| Minimal encouragers | Use brief, positive prompts to keep the conversation going and to show you are listening. | “Oh?”, “I understand.”, or “Mhmm”
|
| Reflecting | Reflect the speaker’s words in terms of feelings. | “This seems really important to you.” |
| Probing | Ask questions to get deeper insight and get involved in the conversation. | “What do you think would happen if you…?” |
| Validation | Acknowledge the speaker’s problems, issues, and feelings. Listen openly and with empathy. | “I appreciate your willingness to discuss…” |
| Using “I” Statements | “I” statements help you to focus on the problem, not the person involved in a negative situation. They help let the speaker know what you feel and why. | “I know you have a lot to say, but I need to…” |
| Redirecting | If the speaker shows signs of being overly aggressive, agitated, or angry, this is the time to shift the discussion to another topic. | “Let’s continue this talk later.” |
Strategy #2: Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication involves nonverbal cues that signal the way a person feels about a conversation or person. Everyone uses nonverbal communication. Look at the two pictures below and decide which person looks ready to have a pleasant, open discussion.
Without saying a word, both people are communicating how they feel. The woman on the left is crossing her arms and looking to the side, which may display a barrier to communication. The woman on the left is making direct eye contact, leaning forward, and smiling, showing a readiness to communicate. Nonverbal communication can be completely natural and unintentional. You may not even realize the message that your body is sending. However, you can teach yourself to be mindful about how your body language is being read by others. For example, frowning, looking away or down, or having your arms crossed may convey that you are feeling negative emotions, such as anger, sadness or frustration. On the other hand, smiling, leaning forward, nodding, and encouraging hand signals show that you are in a positive mood and ready to communicate.
Nonverbal communication is important because it can relay information, such as emotions or biases, which can change the context and meaning of a conversation. Nonverbal methods of communication can include the following:
- Body language
- Facial expressions
- Body movement
- Gestures
- Eye contact
- Posture
- Tone of voice
- Muscle tension
- Breathing
Tips for Nonverbal Communication:
1) Use nonverbal signals that match your words in order to strengthen their meaning.
2) Use body language to convey positive feelings, even when you are not actually experiencing them.
- Standing tall with shoulders back, smiling, and maintaining eye contact can help you feel more confident in a conversation and put the other person at ease.
Teaching Children Communication
Communication skills are vital for adults and children. Studies show that effective communicators are happier, achieve more in school settings, and are more successful overall. You can begin to develop healthy communication methods in children during visits, but teaching parents how to encourage healthy communication in their children will help them fully develop these methods.
Teaching children good communication skills starts immediately and lasts throughout their childhood and adolescence. At different stages of childhood, different skills should be developed. The ultimate goal is to raise an individual who converses courteously, listens to what others say, and is able to clearly express his or her own thoughts, ideas, and opinions.
Basic Communication Practices
There are a number of things you should do to help facilitate communication in children. The practices mentioned below can be used with all development stages.
- Actively listen to the child. When you show the child how to listen, this demonstrates that paying attention when someone else is speaking is important and courteous.
- Get on the child’s level. Getting on the child’s level will facilitate good eye contact. Eye contact is important because it is a non-verbal way to communicate with someone that helps to show your interest in what is being shared.
- Display signs of verbal and nonverbal listening. When the child is speaking, not only can you verbally acknowledge what they are saying such as saying “yes,” and “mhmm,” but you can also nod your head and react to what they’re saying with facial expressions.
- Verify that the child listens to you. When talking to your child, ask them to repeat what you said in his or her own words or ask what the child thinks about what you are speaking about. This way you know if the child is actively listening to you, and you can then say, “Thank you for paying attention” to show that you care.
- Use “I” statements to communicate how you think and feel. Start your sentences with “I” instead of “you” to relate what you are thinking. This will teach children how to speak in a direct way to others about their thoughts and reactions.
- Ask probing questions to encourage the child to engage in open communication. By asking probing questions, such as, “You look upset. Is it because of the thunderstorm and you can’t go outside?” the child will learn to communicate more often and new conversation topics can be covered.
- Teach the child not to interrupt when someone else is speaking. Tell the child that allowing others to speak fully and express opinions without being disrupted is courteous. If the child interrupts you, calmly and politely tell him or her not to and explain how this can be a distraction to the person who had first been speaking. Also, don’t interrupt the child either so that you can model this behavior for him or her.
Child Communication Facilitation Techniques, By Age
| Age of Child | Communication Developmental Milestones | Techniques to Teach Children Communication |
| Babies and Toddlers- Birth to Age Three | · Sounds (crying, cooing, squealing)
· Facial expressions (eye contact, smiling, grimacing) · Gestures (moving legs in excitement or distress) · Fragmental word development · Repetition of words · Simple sentence development · Understanding of two-step commands |
-Use running commentary for gestures. For example, the infant is pointing to the fridge. “Do you want a drink? Do you want milk? I’ll get you some milk. Here is your drink of milk.”
-Repeat basic sounds or words, encouraging the child to repeat after you and learn new words. |
| Preschool Age- Three to Five Years of Age | · Development of more complex sentences
· The use of “No” and “Why” · Decision-making · Imitation of words · Description of experiences |
-Ask the child questions to include him/her in decision-making.
-Communicate with dolls or action figures to co-create a story.
-Read together. |
| School Age – Six to Twelve Years of Age | · Growth of vocabulary
· Grammar and punctuation · Understanding of three part instructions · Giving school presentations · Independent reading of chapter books · Writing of stories and letters · Use of phone to communicate |
-Ask specific, open-ended questions, such as “What feedback did your teacher give you on your assignment?” to avoid short, vague answers.
-Make sure to avoid talking down to children of this age, as they want their growth and maturity to be acknowledged.
|
| Teenagers- Thirteen to Eighteen Years of Age | · Rhythm and tone of speech
· Body language · Development of communication style · Use of social media to communicate |
-Challenge the teen to avoid the use of fillers like “um” and “like” for a few minutes to increase confidence.
-Ask teens to consider how sarcasm can be taken by others to encourage understanding. |
Thanksgiving and Fall Crafts
By Kristen Carney
The holiday season is riddled with good food, laughter, and most importantly, family. As the temperature gets cooler, and the leaves change colors, families grow closer to each other. Supervised visitation monitors can provide these simple craft ideas to encourage parent-child bonding during the holiday season. So gather your loved ones around the table and try one of these fun crafts with the families in your center this fall.
Candy Corn Turkey
Materials
- Candy Corn
- Brown, Yellow, Red, Orange Paper
- Googly eye
- Scissors
- Glue
Instructions
- Cut out all the main pieces: body, feet, beak, feather circle, etc.
- Glue brown body on top of yellow circle
- Add the googly eye, feet and beak
- Have the kids glue the candy corn around the outside to look like feathers!
Thankful Turkey
Materials
- Paper plate
- Toilet paper roll or paper towel roll cut in half
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Permanent marker
Instructions
- Color paper plate
- Cut the pieces for the face and hat, glue them to the toilet paper roll
- Cut multi-colored paper in to feathers
- Have the kids write down things they are thankful for on the feathers
- Glue feathers to the paper plate
- Glue toilet paper roll to the paper plate
Thankful Tree
Materials
- Large sheet of paper for the background, brown paper, fall colored paper, permanent marker, scissors, and glue
Instructions
- Glue the brown paper to the larger sheet of paper to make a tree trunk. Make the tree as tall as you’d like.
- Take turns tracing each child’s hand on colorful paper, then cut out their traced hand.
- Have each kid write something they are thankful for on their hand and glue it to the top and base of the tree
- Hang the thankful tree somewhere everyone will see it!
Fall Wreath – Door Décor
Materials
- Colored paper, scissors, marker, glue
Instructions
- Help the child lay their hand down, fingers apart, and trace around it on several different colors
- Have them cut out a set of twelve hands
- Glue the hands together in the shape of a wreath and hang it on a door at home or work
- Let the child’s handprint remind you of the impact they have made in your life
Thanksgiving Word Search
Thanksgiving Bread
Yam Pumpkin
Pie Vegetables
Ham Holiday
Family Friends
Thankful Food
Turkey Potatoes
Stuffing Salad