Drama therapy activity: Transformation

Transformation- taken from www.recreationtherapy.com
Size of Group: 4 to 12
Equipment: a large piece of cloth, a toilet bowl cleaner, a piece of theraband, and other items that might provoke creative use of the item
Focus Area: creative thinking and coping
Quick Description: Participants are given an item such as a large piece of cloth and prompted to transform the object into an everyday object.
Complete Description:
1) Begin discussion on the relationship of creative thinking, problem-solving and coping (e.g., creative thinkers may find healthier means to cope with their problems rather than being overwhelmed by a problem).
2) After discussion, bring out one item and show it to the group. Announce the game of Transformation... "take this object and transform it into an everyday object... be creative and think of different ways you might transform this object."
3) Give the group an example if needed. For example, you might transform the toilet bowl brush into a fly swatter, a microscope, or a golf club.
4) Instruct the group that the person transforming the object must SHOW us the transformation (by acting it out) and not tell us. The rest of the group then must guess what the transformed object is. Be sure to tell the group that wait till the person is completely done before shouting out their guesses.
5) Continue around the circle giving each person several chances at transforming the object. After 2 or 3 passes, encourage the group to add more movement and action to their transformation. For example, instead of just showing a flyswatter, run around the room trying to chase an imaginary fly with the flyswatter.
Process: How can you relate the creative thinking you did here to creative thinking you might have to do with difficult problems?

Open-ended questions

OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS- taken from www.recreationtherapy.com
What one of your greatest achievements are..
My favorite activities is ...
A place I spent one of my happiest days was ...
I go to be alone ...
My future goal is to ...
What make me happy ...
When I get enough money I will ...
When I have enough time, I want to ...
If this weekend was 3 days long I would ...
I feel most bored when ...
I feel most satisfied when ...
I enjoy being ...
My fondest memory is ...
I can really get excited about ...
A new leisure activity I tried this week ...
How did I feel about this week in participating in activities ...
I feel proud when I ...
I feel best when people ...
I am best at ...
I get angry when ...
I have accomplished
The thing that amuses me is ...
my greatest strength is ...
I have never liked...
like people who...
Someday I am going to ...

Some ways to use open-ended questions: verbal answers given as group check-in/check-out, add hand/body movements to express answer, draw answers, journaling exercises, make a creative book of collages