Rainstorms

From Healing and Relaxing Activities for Children by Nancy C. Klein

Ages K - 4th Grade

This activity is designed to help children express their feelings and increase their ability to cope with their fears as well as diminish the stress and anxiety such fears can induce.

Age Range: Kindergarten through 4th grade

Materials: Drawing paper, crayons, pencil

Theme: Although literature details stages of grief, for most people, mourning is a process, not a straight line. When we experience a loss we may feel a rush of sadness. After awhile, our feelings of sadness may come more slowly and less often, yet at unexpected moments, a sudden rainstorm of feelings may blow in and take us by surprise.

Even long after an event of trauma/death/loss has occurred we may sometimes experience strong feelings. This may come as a surprise. What might make us think about the trauma/death/loss again? We might cry when we are feeling sad, or mad, or scared, or lonely. What are some other ways that people show how they are feeling?

Using examples such as the games Chutes and Ladders® and/or Candy Land® may help children understand this concept. In these games, just when you think that you’re making forward progress you may land on a square that sends you backward.

Possible concerns to address:
“ Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person who is still crying.”
“ What if I can’t stop crying?”

Crying is normal and it is okay to cry. Don’t be afraid of pouring out your feelings. Other people may be crying at times and places where you don’t notice their tears or sadness. Do not worry that you will make others feel worse if you express your feelings. If you are worried or concerned about crying be sure to talk to an adult who can help you understand your feelings.

Activity:
Draw a picture of a stormy day with big raindrops falling from a cloud. In some of the raindrops color a picture and/or write about the feelings that you have when you cry.

Activity Extension:
Hopeful things occur that strengthen us and give us encouragement. Help the child see that where there are clouds there are also rainbows. Where there are tears there may also be laughter.

Cut out some of the raindrop “tears” from the original activity. Color a new picture of something hopeful that has happened since the loss. Glue the raindrops/tears above the new picture to demonstrate that we can find things to be thankful for even as we are experiencing sadness/fear/anger/loneliness.

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