Goals:
1. Increase the positive expression of emotions.
2. Develop awareness of thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Materials:
Colored yarn, paint, paintbrush, jars, scissors, Elmer’s Glue-All or Tacky Glue, colored construction paper, and pictures of scenery to work from.
Procedures/Directions:
1. Instruct the participants to pick colors that represent the emotion of “happy” or “joy”.
2. Place paint on pallet paper or into jars.
3. Cut up yarn into pieces to use to dip into paints.
4. Dip the yarn into the paint, use a paintbrush to fully cover, and leave part of the yarn unpainted to hold.
5. Once the yarn is covered in the desired color, the participant can then paint with the yarn onto the paper. They can play with techniques and color mixtures as well as dragging the yarn.
6. Participants may want to use the colored yarn as an add on to the piece with glue after dry or leave painted yarn on the piece.
7. Ask participants to describe their work at the end of the group and how it connects to happiness.
8. Prompt discussion about sources of happiness.
9. Instruct the group to clean up their workspace.
Variations: This Yarn Painting can be used and changed for different emotions that participant needs to be addressed and can be adapted to “Angry Color Yarn Painting” or “Sad Yarn Painting”. Other techniques such as placing another paper over yarn and pressing may be implemented or gluing colored yarn to the paper.
Adaptions: This project may help with motor development skills, but if participant’s abilities are limited the art therapist may implement hand over hand assistance. If the yarn is too hard for the participants, the yarn may be replaced with texture rubbing plates or by using figures with the same directive.
Supply information/Resources: Supplies can all be purchased at a local craft store or Walmart craft section. All required is paint, paper, and yarn. Yarn can be collected by art therapist, but if bought can be $10 or lower, paper and paint can cost $5 or less. All together this project can cost about $15 and can be used multiple times with that cost.
Contraindications/Safety Considerations: This project is for a younger population so non-toxic art materials should be used. Scissors can be used by art therapists and should be monitored if used by children.
Population: This project is for children ages as young as 5 up to 11. This can be implemented for children struggling with emotional regulation or with social skills.
Cultural Considerations: While some emotions have been known to be universal, the therapist must be aware of any possible cultural or individual differences. Placing color to emotions may be difficult for some participants as well.
Setting: This project can be implemented afterschool, school settings, or outpatients’ centers. This would be best in individual settings. The session would take about an hour.
ETC level: Kinesthetic/Sensory Level
Resources: May use these as emotion cards. Some examples may be useful for the client.
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