Steps

1. Explain that many things can cause feelings to build up and that can lead to stress and anger. Explain the three types of stress and ask children to give examples for each.
   • Frustration – occurs when someone is blocked from doing, saying or asking something by others or by the situation as a whole
   • Conflict – occurs when a difficult choice must be made
   • Pressure – occurs when someone feels forced to do something s/he does not really want to do, or forced to do too much.
2. Show the picture of the volcano or bomb. Explain that some people will explode like a volcano if the level of stress builds up too high.
3. Ask the group to give examples of causes of stress. Here are some of the responses from children who did this activity.
   • When people harass me
   • When I work hard for a little payment
   • When we girls have to work more than our brothers
   • People using bad language against us
   • Hunger
   • A sick friend
   • Loneliness
   • When we are beaten at home
   • Noise
   • Smell
   • Health problems such as headache, tooth ache, sports injury, spots on the face, toothache, heavy cold
   • Heat or cold
   • Doing unhealthy things in order to cope such as drinking, smoking, acting irritably with others, driving too fast
4. Ask what happens when people explode (become very angry)
   • They may harm others
   • They may harm themselves
   • They may run away
5. Divide the children into groups of three and ask them to discuss or draw causes of stress in their own lives. Ask them to decide the point at which someone may explode if all these causes came together. Give each group a paper bag.
6. Each group tells the whole group the causes of stress they have discussed, and they blow up and burst the paper bag at the point where they think someone might explode because as a result of all this stress.

You can also use physical movement for feedback. In their presentations, the group can take one step forward every time they mention one stress and then shout loudly for the explosion!