Non-threatening activities you can do with children to help them
communicate in counselling (see page 166)
Drawing
Drawing can be a powerful activity for opening hidden cupboards in a child’s life. Drawing enables
children to communicate their emotional state without having to put it into words. Most children enjoy
drawing and it is a useful practical tool for counselling. After a child has drawn something, gently follow
up by asking the child to describe what is happening in their drawing.
Example: Jane drew a picture of a man who used to do “bad things” to her. When the counsellor
asked her about her drawing, she told how she had been sexually abused by an uncle, who ended up
infecting her with HIV.
Storytelling
Children usually do not like to answer lots of direct questions or listen to long lectures. When they
are finding it difficult to talk about painful issues, asking them to tell a story may help them express
themselves. A story can also serve as a useful tool for problem solving.
Example: A counsellor could ask children to tell a story about their school, home, friends or parents.
They could be asked to tell a story about things that bother them in their lives.
Drama / music
Drama or role-play is an excellent way for children to raise issues they want to communicate with
others but find it difficult to discuss directly.
Example: Children could be asked to act out or even sing about how they spend their time at home,
or to act out their relationships with parents or siblings. Children who are abused at home could
demonstrate their situation through drama.
Play
Adults often think play serves no serious purpose. But play is an important way that children express
their feelings about events and make sense of their world. When children play, much of their activity
involves imitation or acting out things that concern them in their lives. By watching children play, adults
can begin to understand what types of emotions they are experiencing.
Example: Four HIV positive children were told to go and play before going to see the doctor.
They began acting out a situation in which a person had died in the home. One of the children acted as
a dead body, and three other children were crying. The counsellor watched what was happening and
then asked for an explanation. The children explained why they were acting out this situation.
Watch children at play as a way to understand what they are feeling and observe what they are doing.
Try not to direct their playing, but follow up on what it is communicating. Innovative, creative and
child-friendly methods of communicating are very important to help children feel involved and express
their feelings and emotions.
Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Appendix 2, Further Infomation^349