Bereavement Professional

We are forging ahead with our first overnight camp for children and have found a great camp site in the redwoods. We are now planning the curriculum with a mix of art and recreational activities. I am wondering if anyone has had an activity that they have found particularly successful?

Hello Cindi,

We do an experience with our campers to memorialize their loved one. They get to create a memory lantern.  We provide 2-liter bottles that have been cut about halfway down, multi-colored tissue paper, watered down glue, and sponge brushes.  They are instructed to choose colors that remind them of their lost loved one and then they can glue the colors onto the bottle to make a lantern.  Originally, this activity was intended to create a stained-glass effect, where the paper is basically decoupaged onto the bottle, but the imagination of the children runs wild and they come up with things we would never think of!  Once they have decorated them, we punch holes in the sides and make a handle from floral wire.  You can put sand in the bottom to weigh them down a bit if needed, and then place a tea light (we use the battery powered ones). 

Our "ritual" is to then have the lanterns lit and hanging in the trees around the campfire.  This year, we also had the children write a letter to their loved one when they had completed their lantern.  The letter could be as simple as explaining their chosen colors, or sharing a memory, or drawing a picture.  During a special time in the campfire, the children had the opportunity to place their letter in the fire, in effect "sending their message up" to their loved one. 

Good luck with your camp!  We are going to be doing our very first 5-day summer grief camp in June, and I am hoping to see some more great ideas posted here, as we've got 5 days of activity to fill!

Chelsea

Hi Chelsea,

We use memorial votives that are decorated with tissue paper; sometimes a simple ribbon is tied around the votive. Each votive is lit during the campfire memorial service. The memorial lantern is a wonderful way to memorialize a loved one; do you have a photo you can share?

Gerri Cummings

Hi Gerri,  I've tried to paste a photo and it comes out so huge, you can't really see it!  So instead, here's a link to our camp video for this year.  At 50 sec., you can see the kids making their lanterns.  At 4:11, there's a longer image of a lit lantern.  And if you watch the entire thing, you get a good overview of the adventure-based counseling and other experiences at our camp! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3jamcgVRVk&feature=youtu.be

Hi Carla;

Good luck with your camp. We do a mix of activities at our camps. Any activity we pick has a goal of either identifying/expressing feelings, building coping skills/support systems, and honoring the deceased. There are so many choices and it really depends on what resources/supplies you have available. We have done things as simple as painting flat rocks to tie dying shirts, creating picture frames, drum circles, game shows, infomercials, new games, hiking and for "recreational" activities, we have time for them to swim, rock climb, or canoe. We always end with a release ceremony. 

If you would like more details, please contact me directly.

Hope that helps,

Diane

Hi Cindi,

Like Diane, underlying our arts/crafts activities is skill building in coping, expressing feelings and identifying safe support systems.  Activities cover a wide range: memory boxes, dioramas, masks, nature walks, memorial garden stones, spin art, journaling, Zumba, yoga, drumming and a host of other activities. Contact me personally for more information.    

Gerri Cummings

Ours is not a literal "camp", but a day-time gathering inside.  The thought of actually camping out with the kids--Wow!

Past activities:

Breaking flower pots, gluing them back together, painting them, and sending them home with flower seeds.  Remembrance boxes.  Paper Mache Masks.  Life-sized portraits then talking about where and how the grief hurts. 

My consolation when planning is that the greatest thing the kids remember is being with other kids who know what it is to have someone die.  I wish I could be a fly on the wall (or somewhere at your campsite) to see how you do it. 

Hello,  We are planning our annual grief day camp and would like to do a butterfly release this year.  I suppose that some of you may have done this in the past and wonder if you have any "words of wisdom" for us?  One concern our group has is that some of the butterfly's might be very fragile and die....and they are concerned how the kids would handle this.  Also, any suggestions as to where to get the most cost effective butterflies would be helpful. 
Thanks for any and all suggestions.

I used  www.butterflyreleasecompany.com. Usually they send some extras in case one of the butterflies dies, but usually kids are okay with it as long as they are able to do the release (at least in my experience). They recognize they are fragile and usually you can tell before the release, you can hear the butterflies moving in their envelopes.

Hi Tammy...we do a 3 day camp.  It is a day camp and we call it Good Grief Fun Camp.  This will be the 14th camp that I have put on.  During the 3 days we have activities that not only focus on processing grief, but we also have activities that all the kids to use their expressions...beit art...such as quilt making, stepping stones and making items that we want the kids to be able to take home.  We also tie dye shirts.  In addition, I always have an off grounds activity at an Equestrian Center.  They have various events that the kids can participate in.  This year I am also looking at having a mini petting zoo come in. 

The most amazing part of the camp is what we as facilitators learn from our kids!!!  They are amazing and we all have a great time. 

Good luck and enjoy all that comes of the camp!!!