Here at HPT, we know how difficult these unprecedented times continue to be. As you may have read in the previous blog post, “Tips for Promoting Resilience and Providing Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic”, one way to help support your child during these times is to help them feel a sense of control. There are numerous ways to go about this; one of these ways is utilizing the “Rock and Playdoh” analogy. We will say that this analogy was not created by HPT or any of its therapists, but was rather a compilation of a couple of different resources and activities shared by wonderful therapists online.
Below you will find a "script" of a lesson conducted for Kindergarten through Third grade students and the discussion that followed.
The purpose of this activity was to help students reframe different problems or situations they encounter. Is it a playdoh problem/situation (is it in my control?) or is it a rock problem/situation (is it out of my control?). If it is, in fact, a rock situation, what playdoh solutions can we come up with? Empowering our students and providing them with ways to find solutions to the things they can control and not become overly focused on what they cannot control will help to develop their resiliency and self-efficacy.
I would invite you all to continue the dialogue of identifying the "rocks" and "playdohs" of different situations that take place as you encounter different situations in different environments with your children.
The Rock and the Playdoh: What Is In Your Control?
I have two items with me today- Playdoh and a Rock.
Now, the first part of the activity is to turn the playdoh into something new. What can I turn it into?
Students Answers included: a ball, a snowman, a cookie, a snake
I then turned the playdoh into the object/animal voted on by the classroom.
While I was creating my new object/animal, I would narrate- “Ah, I can take a piece of this one here and move it here. I can change it how I would like! I have control over the playdoh!”.
Now, the next part is to turn the rock into something new, with ONLY my hands. What can I change it into?
Students Answers often suggested that I use some sort of external tool or add something to the rock. While I applauded their creativity and thinking outside of the box, I noted that, with my own two hands, I could not change the shape or consistency of the rock.
“Wow, so with the playdoh, I could create something new and change it to what I wanted. I had control over the playdoh. With the rock, I could not change it. I had no control over the rock”.
We then discussed as a whole group how we have “rocks” and “playdohs” in our lives. For example, the rocks in our lives include: COVID-19, the weather, teacher assignments and other people’s words or actions. The playdohs in our lives might be: our own words, our choices, social distancing, and taking breaks. We continued to discuss how it was important to look at the playdohs in our lives as well as the playdoh solutions to rock problems (i.e. wearing a rain jacket when it is raining outside).