LifeSkills Handbook Activity 3
This is a single activity session plan from The Lifeskills Handbook. There are 61 activity sessions altogether. The handbook is available from our resources section where you’ll also find downloadable storybooks, books and posters to help you in your work.
LifeSkills Handbook Activity 3
Self Awareness: The Timeline
Purpose of activity
- To help children identify and discuss past events
- To help children think about long term goals
Life skills: Creative thinking
Important points
Girls often have a poor self-image and see fewer opportunities for themselves. Encourage girls to think about positive ambitions again. Talk about this with the group.
Materials
- Card
- Large sheet of blank paper, such as flipchart paper
- Coloured pens
Steps
- Show a poster of a timeline.
- Explain how to use the timeline by drawing symbols of your own life on it. Focus on the period of your life that matches the age range of the children in the group. Special dates or events may include:
If the children are unable or unwilling to put the events into a specific order, have them draw their symbols inside a circle shape instead.
- In small groups or pairs, children can show their timelines or circles.
- Ask the children to draw or write in three future events that they hope will happen in the years ahead. These may include:
- Going to primary/secondary/high school
- Getting a job
- Getting a house
- Starting college/training programme
- Getting married
- Moving to another place
- Having children
Final Discussion
In the large group, children talk about and/or show the symbols about their future goals.
Were you happy to draw/write your timeline? Why/why not? How did you feel/Did you find it difficult to remember past events? To think about the future?