Therapeutic Activity - Holiday Frenzy

Therapeutic Activity Program Outline
Activity Title: Holiday Frenzy
Therapeutic Group Goal(s) – these are overarching goals/outcomes the group should have at
the end of your activity:
1. Teaches students importance of cultural diversity and the different Holiday’s that occur
throughout the year. This is a culturally competent activity that helps to educate young
people in a hands on, interactive way.
Materials/Resources /Time Needed:

 A classroom
 Craft paper
 Popsicle sticks
 Pencil crayons
 Paper for printer
 Pencils
 Small beads
 String
 Empty toilet paper rolls
 Tissue paper
 Ribbon
 Scissors
 Glue sticks
 Paper plates
 Markers
 2 days
Activity Description – How the “game is played”, step-by-step instructions that anyone could
follow to complete this activity
This activity will take two days.
Day 1: Each student will talk about a big, or main holiday that their culture celebrates. Of
course there will be many different holidays discussed, and we will choose one from each
culture to include in our activity (I have made a list of a few holidays and what the activities will
be, but this list is not limited, it is just an idea of possible holidays and activites.) We will spend
some time learning about each holiday that we choose, and then one day we will bring these
holidays to our classroom.
Day 2: In a class of 25 students, there will be five groups and five stations to rotate through.
Each holiday will include a different activity that the students will complete.
Steps:
1. Classroom will be set up before students arrive; there will be five stations set up with all
the supplies required for each activity, as well as instructions at each table. Groups will
also be preassigned.
2. The class will be briefly taught about each holiday and what it means
3. Groups will be taught what they are supposed to do at each station and then each group
will join a station, rotating 1 through 5. Each station will have about 20 minutes.
4. After all stations are completed, those who choose to, may share one thing that they
created at a station (one craft or their poem).
Station one: Chinese culture – Lunar New Year (craft paper dragon)
Instructions: 1. Papers with dragon outline will be pre-printed and cut to save time.
2. Students will colour the dragon as they please
3. Students will fold strips of craft paper in an “accordion fold” and glue
head/tail of dragon to the craft paper
4. Two popsicle sticks will be glued to the construction paper as a way to
hold the dragon
Station Two: African culture – Kwanza (write a poem)

Instructions: 1. Students can write a poem about any appropriate topic they choose
Station Three: Indigenous culture – Back to Batoche (bead bracelet)

Instructions: 1. Students will take beads of any colour pattern they choose and place
them on the string in the pattern they choose.
2. If students need assistance, I can help them tie off their bracelet once
they are finished
Station Four: Mexican culture – Cinco De Mayo (pull pinata)

Instructions: 1. Strips of tissue paper will be precut for students to save time
2. Students will cut small slits into one side of the tissue paper to create a
“fringe” (repeat for 8-10 different strips)
3. Students will glue the strips of tissue paper onto the toilet paper roll in
layers, leaving the “fringe” part unglued.
4. Glue a piece of string to the inside of the toilet paper roll
5. Attach a couple layers of fringed tissue paper to the bottom of the
string with glue
Station Five: Indian culture – Diwali (paper plate rangoli)
Instructions: 1. Students will take paper plates and draw a floral design on the back or
inside of a paper plate with a pencil.
2. Students will then outline and colour their floral design with lots of
different colours.
Debrief learning discussion questions – List several questions to evaluate the learning of the
students that can be formulated in a class discussion format
- What are some things that you learned about other cultures?
- Is there anything you already knew about these other cultures?
- Which activity was your favourite?
- Would you like to do this activity again with even more cultures/holidays?
Backup Plan – if you have extra time or something goes wrong what could you do:
- If we have extra time, students can share an extra art piece that they created or their
poem if that wasn’t the first thing that was shared.
- OR if we have extra time, we could put some of the art up on the wall or the bulletin
board on the outside of the classroom.
- If something goes wrong, nobody will be blamed. All students will continue with their
work and there will be an extra five minutes added to that rotation time so that
whichever group had a problem can finish their activity/station.
Additional Pitfalls and Precautions:
- Students may be hard to settle down when they move to the next station
- Some students will want to be in groups with their friends
- Students don’t want to participate
References
Arora, H. (2020, November 12). 10 Amazing DIY Diwali Craft Ideas for Kids. SchoolMyKids.
https://www.schoolmykids.com/activities/10-amazing-diy-diwali-craft-ideas-for-kids.
Chinese New Year Craft: Dragon Puppet Printable. Red Ted Art - Make crafting with kids easy
& fun. (2021, January 7). https://www.redtedart.com/chinese-new-year-craft-dragon-
puppet-free-printable/?cn-reloaded=1.
Easy Pinata Garland. Satsuma Designs. (2021). https://satsumadesigns.com/blogs/satsuma-
designs/easy-pinata-garland.
Heritage Days. Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada.
https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/article/heritage-days/.
The History, Principles, and Symbols of Kwanzaa. InterExchange. (2020, July 20).
https://www.interexchange.org/articles/career-training-usa/history-principles-and-symbols-
of-kwanzaa/#:~:text=The%20name%20Kwanzaa%20is%20derived,during%20the
%20week%20of%20Kwanzaa.
Holidays and Observances: Hinduism. LibGuides. (2020, November 21).
https://libguides.webster.edu/holidays/hinduism.
Lin, R. (2018, January 11). China's 5 Biggest Holidays and How They're Celebrated. China
Expat. https://www.echinacities.com/expat-life/Chinas-5-Biggest-Holidays-and-How-
Theyre-Celebrated.
Major Holidays and Celebrations of Spanish-Speaking Countries. University of California,
Agriculture and Natural Resources. (2021).
https://ucanr.edu/sites/Spanish/Calendario/Major_Holidays_and_Celebrations_of_Spanish-
Speaking_Countries/#:~:text=Primero%20de%20Mayo%20or%20D%C3%ADa,to%20the
%20U.S.%20Labor%20Day.&text=Cinco%20de%20Mayo%20(M%C3%A9xico).
Woyee-Jones, C. C. (2020, October 6). 10 IMPORTANT HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS
FOR BLACK PEOPLE. Black Parent Magazine. https://www.blackparentmagazine.com/post/10-
important-holidays-and-celebrations-for-black-people#:~:text=Kwanzaa%20is%20a%20week
%2Dlong,a%20feast%20and%20gift%2Dgiving.

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Therapeutic Activity Program Outline

Activity Title: Holiday Frenzy

Materials/Resources /Time Needed:

This activity will take two days.

Station Two: African culture – Kwanza (write a poem)

Station Three: Indigenous culture – Back to Batoche (bead bracelet)

Station Four: Mexican culture – Cinco De Mayo (pull pinata)

Additional Pitfalls and Precautions:

& fun. (2021, January 7). https://www.redtedart.com/chinese-new-year-craft-dragon-

Easy Pinata Garland. Satsuma Designs. (2021). https://satsumadesigns.com/blogs/satsuma-

Heritage Days. Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada.

Holidays and Observances: Hinduism. LibGuides. (2020, November 21).

Agriculture and Natural Resources. (2021).

Woyee-Jones, C. C. (2020, October 6). 10 IMPORTANT HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

FOR BLACK PEOPLE. Black Parent Magazine. https://www.blackparentmagazine.com/post/10-

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