Dot to Dot
Meet Lily, a sweet, hopeful seven-year-old Muppet in housing transition.
One of the most stabilizing forces in children’s lives is the connection with supportive, caring, and trusted adults. These relationships can hold healing power.
Watch this video together with families and meet Lily, a sweet and hopeful seven-year-old Muppet whose family is experiencing a tough transition. (Lily’s a great name for her, because lilies symbolize hope.)
Sofia, a caring adult on Sesame Street with whom Lily’s family is staying, teaches Lily a strategy for remembering how she’s surrounded by caring people: Sofia draws a dot for each one, connecting the dots to make a heart. Then, Sofia draws Lily in the middle.
Help children do the same:
- Use crayons or markers to help children draw their own dot-to-dot heart on paper, talking about whom each dot represents (try for as many dots as possible, considering social workers and other provider roles).
- Then help them write names or draw pictures near each dot.
- Finally, help them draw themselves in the middle.
For children who do not have as many dots as Lily, you might help them draw themselves with one caring person and then draw a heart around the picture.
Hooray for Hands
Hands remind us of the power of helping, sharing, and caring.
Ideas Into Action: Sharing Comfort Strategies with Children
You can show children how others use strategies for self-soothing.
Provider Workshop: Healthy Goodbyes
In the face of these challenges, you can model healthy goodbyes.
Promoting Healing Through Play in Shelters part 2
It’s not just the things you put into an environment that are important—a play space is made even more effective when adults interact with children in positive ways.
Talk About It: For Children Experiencing Homelessness
Honest, age-appropriate ways to respond to children’s difficult questions.
Ideas Into Action: Grown-Ups Come Back
A bag of ribbons can go a long way!
Provider Workshop: Healthy Goodbyes Resources part 2
In the face of these challenges, you can model healthy goodbyes.
