Treasure bags have been a lifeline during lockdown
When COVID-19 hit, Kids Inspire created “treasure bags” in order to keep a sense of continuity in a time of uncertainty. One of our art therapists tells us how the bags helped them to deliver art therapy sessions to vulnerable children in a primary school.
In this particular school, it was decided that the children needed to continue with face-to-face work due to their vulnerabilities. The children were each given a Kids Inspire ‘treasure bag’ containing various art materials including a large A3 pad, small paint pots, marker pens, colouring pencils, colourful pipe cleaners, playdough, squishy balls, and the thing the kids loved the most was the ‘all in one’ rubber sharpener! The individual treasure bags meant each child had their own things which were clean and only touched by them.
The children had different responses; one boy, Max, excitedly decorated the material bag taking ownership of something that now belonged to him. It was meaningful for him to be different and have his own identity.
One child, Anna, developed a new sense of responsibility, carefully placing all her beloved items back into the bag as a goodbye ritual each week. This allowed her to build trust with the therapist who kept the bag safe between sessions. The interaction with the bag enabled Anna to begin caring for herself in a new way. She gained confidence in being separate from things she loved, which mirrored her new ability to be apart from her Mother without becoming overwhelmed.
A quiet child, Joseph, became attached to a certain toy, every week he rushed to find the toy in the bottom of his bag. This became a special object that helped him to explore ideas and allowed him to make his own choices with less fear.
Another child, Claire, used all the paint in the very first session. This encouraged new thinking around how satisfying it was to use everything up in one go. Links were made with her emotional hunger and her need for connection due to the neglect she experienced in her early years.
The treasure bags helped the work to keep going and opened new insights into supporting the children in the best way.