The Three Islands is a fun and interactive direct work activity for social workers and practitioners to engage children in exploring their preferences, views, wishes and concerns. This activity enables professionals to understand what children like, dislike, and worry about.
During the activity, the child is prompted to draw three islands and populate them with people, animals, objects, and activities based on specific instructions:
- The Island of Always:
- Children are asked to draw themselves and anything else they want to be on this island with them. This island represents the things and people that they want to have with them all the time.
- The Island of Sometimes:
- Children are asked to draw anything they want to see but not all the time. This island represents things and experiences that they enjoy but don’t necessarily want or need all the time.
- The Island of Far Away:
- Children are asked to draw anything they want to be far away from them or never see again. This island represents the things, people, or situations that they want to keep at a distance or completely avoid.
By engaging in this activity, social workers and practitioners gain insights into the child’s preferences, emotions, and concerns. It provides a creative outlet for children to express themselves, allowing professionals to tailor their support accordingly. The guidance, template, and record sheets assist in facilitating the activity and documenting the child’s responses, creating a comprehensive record for further assessment and intervention.
FREE PDF DOWNLOAD OF THREE ISLANDS ACTIVITY GUIDANCE, TEMPLATE & RECORD SHEETS:
Template 1 & Brief guidance
Template 2 & More comprehensive guidance
