Building Bridges with Kids Using Expressive Activities

Kids cannot always articulate what is bothering them, so they often require a different approach than we use to counsel adults. Engaging children and teens in activities that are kid-friendly such as drawing, role-playing with toys, or petting a therapy animal may help them to open up and express their feelings and concerns. Lowe offers a biblical rationale for why these expressive activities work and illustrates their efficacy with two case examples. The article concludes with an expressive activity that you can use in your ministry with children.