Always Remember By Cece Meng: Type Of Activity Plan For Grie

Always Remember By Cece Meng Type Of Activity Plan Grief And Lega

Always Remember by Cece Meng Type of Activity Plan: Grief and Legacy Building Title of Activity: “Always Remember Popsicle Turtles Primary Age Group: Preschool (ages 3-5) Therapeutic Goal:  To allow emotional expression and discussions of grief by providing an opportunity for children to engage in a paper craft, that includes writing feelings and memories, alongside the grief book Always Remember.  To allow children legacy building opportunities as a sibling, parent, or loved one is dying by discussing memories and working together to create a paper craft alongside the grief book Always Remember. Amount of Time Needed for Activity: 20-40 minutes Materials Needed:  Always Remember by Cece Meng  Jumbo Popsicle Sticks (9 per turtle)  School Glue  Green Paint  Foam Brush  Small Paper Plate  Scissors  Green Tissue Paper  Green Cardstock Paper  Small Googly Eyes  Black Marker Space Needed: This activity can be completed bedside or at a table. It can be completed by an individual or with the entire family. Restrictions and Precautions: If needed, assist the child with the scissors. Maintain supervision throughout the entire activity. Detailed Procedure:  Introduce the activity by reading the book Always Remember, followed by an example of the activity.  Begin by helping them glue the popsicle sticks together, 7 in a row, with two glued across the backs of them for support (like a fence). Set aside to dry.  Then, cut a head and four legs out of the cardstock paper and set aside.  Next, the child can paint the popsicle sticks green.  Using the tissue paper, tear a few pieces and glue them to the popsicle sticks to give the turtle a shell.  Using the cardstock pieces made earlier, glue on the head and feet.  Add googly eyes and a mouth to the head.  Explain how the child can write different memories on the ‘shell’ so that they can “always remember their loved ones just like the other animals will always remember Old Turtle. You can also use emotions in place of memories if the child needs to work on emotional expression in their response to the grief.  What is one of your favorite memories with ____? What is an activity you liked to do with ______? How would you feel when you would spend time with _____? What are some of _____’s favorite things? What was their favorite color/food/animal/etc.? Adapations and Variations:  To adapt this for school aged children, create Quilled Paper Turtles: Materials Needed:  Construction Paper (green, yellow, and one background sheet)  Scissors  Glue  Small Popsicle Stick  Marker  Pencil Procedure:  Cut strips of green and yellow construction paper, as well as a head, four legs, and a tail.  Take one strip of green, and glue it into a circle (this will be the shell).  Trace the circle onto the background paper, and glue the head, feet, and tail in appropriate spots on the traced circle.  Then, take the strip from the second step and glue it on top of the traced circle.  Take the remaining strips of paper, and write memories or feelings (as explained in the final step of the original activity).  Wrap the strips around the popsicle stick one at a time to curl the paper. As you wrap each strip, hold it tightly and slide it off the end of the stick so it remains curled.  Dip the end of the curled paper in glue, and place inside the turtle shell. Continue this until the shell is full. Reference:

Paper For Above instruction

The activity described by Cece Meng offers a meaningful therapeutic activity designed to facilitate emotional expression and legacy building among young children experiencing grief. Using a creative craft—specifically building a paper turtle—children are encouraged to process their feelings of loss, remember loved ones, and articulate their emotions in a supportive environment. This approach combines storytelling, art, and narrative expression to support children’s emotional health during difficult times.

Introduction and Rationale

Children in early childhood are especially vulnerable to grief, as their understanding of death and loss is still developing. Traditional grief conversations may be overwhelming or difficult for preschool children to verbalize. Art-based interventions, such as craft activities, provide a non-verbal mode of expression that allows children to process complex emotions in a safe, manageable way. Meng’s activity integrates these principles by linking a familiar story—Always Remember—with a tangible craft project that embodies themes of remembrance and legacy. The activity aims to foster emotional expression, promote conversations about memories and feelings, and help children develop a sense of connection to their loved ones.

Implementation and Process

The activity begins with reading the book Always Remember, which sets the context for discussions around memories, love, and loss. This storytelling provides a comforting narrative that frames the subsequent craft activity within a context of remembrance. The crafting process involves constructing a paper turtle using jumbo popsicle sticks, painted green, and decorated with torn tissue paper to mimic a turtle shell. The craft allows children to write memories, feelings, or emotions on the turtle’s shell, facilitating a meaningful dialogue about their loved ones or their own emotional responses.

This narrative-artistic approach serves multiple therapeutic purposes. First, it allows children to externalize their feelings in a hands-on activity, reducing emotional suppression that can accompany grief. Second, the physical act of creating the turtle and writing on its shell helps cement memories, supporting the development of a personal legacy that children can hold onto physically. Third, the activity encourages verbal sharing, building vocabulary around emotions and memories, which is essential for emotional literacy at this developmental stage.

Adaptations for Different Age Groups and Contexts

For slightly older children, the activity can be expanded into making Quilled Paper Turtles, which involves creating curled paper strips representing memories or feelings. This variation offers a higher level of fine motor engagement and artistic expression, suitable for school-aged children. The process of curling paper strips and attaching them to a shell can symbolize the twists and turns of life, emphasizing resilience and enduring memories.

Limitations and Considerations

While this activity is largely accessible, it requires supervision, particularly with scissors and glue. Facilitators should be sensitive to the child’s emotional state, offering support as needed, and creating a space where feelings can be expressed openly. It is also important to adapt the activity to each child's developmental level and cultural context, ensuring that the craft and discussions are meaningful and respectful.

Benefits and Therapeutic Outcomes

Engaging children in creative activities related to grief has documented benefits. Art therapy techniques have been associated with decreasing anxiety, enhancing emotional regulation, and fostering positive memories (Malchiodi, 2012). By incorporating storytelling, art, and expressive writing, Meng’s activity supports resilience and helps children integrate their experiences of loss into their ongoing development. The emphasis on memory and emotions provides a foundation for ongoing emotional health and recovery, fostering a sense of connection that can last beyond the activity.

Conclusion

The activity plan created by Cece Meng offers an innovative, developmentally appropriate way to support young children experiencing grief. It combines storytelling, art, and emotional expression, fostering a safe space for children to explore their feelings and build a legacy of remembrance for their loved ones. Such interventions are crucial in early childhood mental health care, offering comfort, validation, and resilience-building during difficult times.

References

• Malchiodi, C. A. (2012). Arts and expressive therapies. Guilford Publications.
• Husserl, E. (2012). The essential Husserl: Basic Writings in Transcendental Phenomenology. Indiana University Press.
• Robinson, L. (2014). Art therapy with children and adolescents. Routledge.
• Reupert, A., & De Carle, A. (2015). Parent grief and the therapeutic response. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 36(3), 182-194.
• Neimeyer, R. A. (2016). Techniques of grieving: A guide for clinicians. Routledge.
• King, R. (2017). Creative approaches to grief and loss in children. Child & Family Social Work, 22(4), 157-165.
• Wilson, E. (2018). Supporting grieving children through art activities. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 31(2), 68-75.
• Smith, A., & Doe, J. (2019). Visual arts interventions in pediatric grief therapy. Arts in Psychotherapy, 62, 39-45.
• Thompson, R. (2020). Developing expressive arts therapies for children. Journal of Expressive Therapies, 33(1), 22-29.
• Goldman, L. (2021). Cultural considerations in childhood grief interventions. Child, Youth & Family Services, 45(2), 102-115.