This is a light-hearted story telling game. It is intended to help children work on communication skills, think through difficult situations, and to verbalize their thoughts and feelings in a meaningful way. It also provides opportunity to express deeper issues of the heart, insecurities, and fears. It can also provide a narrative approach to addressing these issues.
There are eight different categories of cards, each with different prompts for storytelling, role play, or answering questions about what they would do in a given situation. The game is about survival, preparedness, and coping - all helpful for kids with a history of trauma. Look for themes as you play, as trauma themes can appear. A video introduction is available to help conceptualize the game and how to play.
Card Topics:
Necessities: Kids can explore the most important things to them and their ideas of what they need to survive.
Survival Skills: Kids can consider ways they can overcome difficult situations.
On the Lookout: These cards address hypervigilance that if often present in kids who have experienced trauma. They help bring awareness to hypervigilance to understand why they experience it.
Something Sweet: It always helps to focus on positive things. These cards address the good times in life and favorite things.
Something Stinks: Sometimes we go through foul situations in life. These cards allow kids to use metaphors to process negative experiences.
Light the Way: These cards offer hope, encouragement, and point the direction toward healing. They allude to always having a way to get back on track after getting lost.
Safe and Sound: Who makes the child feel safe? Where is a place of safety? Are there items that make the child feels safe? These cards help identify strengths and protective factors.
Intruder: This character in the game is full of mischief and makes a mess of things. This could be a way for children to externalize problems. Children can also come up with ideas to prepare for difficulties to avoid pitfalls.
You will receive a zip file with the PowerPoint version as well as a text document containing the link to the Google Slides version. Be sure you are NOT in presentation mode while playing, as the game pieces will not move. See the attached tutorial video for more information.
Recommended Ages:
This resource is best for children ages 5-11.
This game is also available as a hard copy and as a PDF download.