I read a great blog post by a teacher that implemented art therapy in the classroom and so, I had to share the art activity with you as it’s something I’ve been meaning to cover anyway. And what better time to cover it than after reading about someone else successfully implementing it!
For this art therapy activity, you’ll need the following items:
- A stereo/CD player. Something you can use to play music
- Oil pastels, or something to paint or draw with
- White or black paper (as long as your drawing/painting shows up)
- Another piece of paper to write down your thoughts
Turn off the lights as much as possible (or close your eyes) and begin playing your music of choice. You can play the music for as long as you like, but I’d probably keep it to under 5 minutes. 2-3 minutes should suffice. Now think about the thoughts and images that went through your head and when you’re ready, begin expressing these thoughts and images onto your paper using your painting or drawing material.
Once you’re finished, write down a few sentences or a paragraph (or more) that explains what your drawing or painting. If this is difficult, ask yourself (or whoever’s doing the art therapy activity) some open-ended questions with regards to the art until you have something to write down. It doesn’t have to be a thesis or anything like that, just something that captures or describes the artwork.
Try it out, you may be surprised at what you come up with! It’s also worth trying with various types of music.
I just finished reading the blog on “You gotta hear this art therapy activity.” It was really moving to reading the comments highlighted about how the third graders responded to this therapeutic technique, and espcially moving, was reading the teachers reflection… “aren’t third graders suppose to be thinking about rainbows and ponies….” It’s truly so heartbreaking to think that so many of us adults “think” that’s whats going on in their minds, however seldom do we take the time to ask them, let alone really listen to how it is they are currently expriencing the world. Its refreshing to read about how one teacher did. Thank you for sharing this experience.
I’m curious to know what pieces of music people used for this activity?
I been reading quite a bit about art therapy and i guess i will try this activity with my students. However i feel that it would be better if instrumental music be used as lyrics may divert the students from expressing their true self.
Hello,
I tired to “sign up’ to get more information and to stay in touch with Art Therpy Ideas. I thought it would be simple. OMG!!! I was sent to some kind of ‘feed burner’ if I recall correctly, that had so much jargon, I had no idea what it was talking about and it wanted more information (most of which was a duplicate) that I had already given them. I already have a google account and I do not want it changed or reconstructed in a different way. I have never heard of any of these terms and feel very frustrated. This is a very twisted route for what ? I just wanted to stay in touch with updates and find out more specific of Art Therapy.
How can I continue to receive information about Art Therapy ( Mandalas in particular) in the SIMPLEST WAY and most straight forward way ?
Thank you for any help you can give me.
E. Jane Taylor
@Taylor, Feedburner is the easiest way to stay up to date with our articles. That allows you to subscribe to the site through a feed reader of your choice. It also allows you to sign up for email updates…and it only sends you an email when there is a new article. This is definitely the simplest way and shouldn’t change any information on your Google account.
This activity also works well with different types of music. Students get a large piece of white paper.Have students pratice first. Play a heavy metal song and have them draw lines taht represent the sounds they hear. Then the same idea with classical. On the final paper have them assign colors to the sounds. Play 4 very different types of music and have them fill the page with lines.When they are finished they can paint the page or color it in. This activity helps them attach colors and lines to emotions. Pandora radio is great for this. I use instumental hip hop, classical, micheal Jackson(in moderation), and guitar rock. Its an extremely fun activity!
Hello- I’m working on my thesis research on the benefits of implementing art therapy techniques into the classroom- can you share your source of this activity? would you be able to pass on contact info?
Thank you very much,
-L
i’m also looking for suggestions on pieces of music to play for activities like this. any ideas?
hey yal i just wana say watsup this is Quest I am a spoken word artist/drummer.. my friend madeline showed me this site and i think it is really cool. I am studying music therapy in school and she is doing art therapy or she maight have finished already but yeah..way cool..whoever made this site u r number one in my cool people book now 🙂 !!
I just wanted to make you all aware that art therapy is a profession requiring masters level education. I am a registered art therapist who completed a masters degress in art therapy and counseling. It is unethical for anyone out side of a liscensed art therapist to be conducting “art therapy sessions” without a license.
For more information please search
American Art Therapy Association.
Seriously, Teresa? One of the greatest bennifits of art is that it is theraputic to many people. You do not need a licensed art therapist to bennifit from art.
@ Brianna… Ah, yes you do need a degree of art therapy to do theraputic interventions with any population. If you are not trained you may do more damage to the person/child by your uneducated comments. Art therapy is not just something made up. You must have a background in Psychology & Art before even being admitted to an accreditied art therapy Masters program such as the one at the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY. Expressive therapies is not to be attempted unless you are trained. Now if you want to do art with people, become an art teacher. But do not delve into areas in which you have not been throughly trained.
Teresa and Sharon thank you so much for including the info in this blog. I too have a M.A ( arts psychotherapy). Why did I pay thousands dollars and undertake a 3 year Masters degree??? Well answer is easy really. A very well meaning arts psychotherapist pointed out that although I ran a group (in earlier days) and called it art therapy it was in fact an art AS therapy group something I think Brianna may be commenting on. I decided to explore arts therapy in a much more deeper and grounded way and was appalled at the damage that could and does become inflicted upon children by under qualified and unregistered ‘art therapists’ It was this info which was the deciding factor for me to undertake the study. I feel that there are fabulous and well meaning people who are introducing art into classrooms and other areas this is valuable and very important but should not be confused with a psychotherapeutic intervention. It is clear (hopefully)
Arts Therapy or Psychotherapy OR Art AS Therapy.
Agree with needing theoretic background to undertake specific intervention with children and adults in a clinical setting however let’s not undermine the benefits of the simplicity of just giving children or adults these activities to do as their own self determined outcome.in reading these I didn’t at any time feel the need to pyscoloanalyse whom I intended them for.it doesn’t take a master’s degree to provide the benefits of these activities.Imagine if I’d prevented my children from dabbling exploring inviting them to embrace art therapy as kids I wonder if I’d have had the extremely well balanced creative intelligent self confident Doctor,lawyer,writer,fireman and environmental lawyer I have today.academic s don’t undermine our intelligence to assume otherwise these are valuable activities and information regardless .