According to researchers, money is one of the top five sources of conflict for couples. The others are time, sex, child rearing and in-laws. The charge of Marriage/Relationship Education (MRE) practitioners is to teach couples how to manage conflict of any nature. With the right skills, no matter what the conflict is, the couple should […]
Group Size: Any Time Needed: 5 minutes (discussion times vary) Goal: To create an experience of unrealistic expectations Audience: Couples, Parents, Teens, Singles Special Considerations: Not appropriate for children as they may not get the “role” you are playing. This exercise may bring up some challenging issues for some participants around self-esteem. Resources Needed: Small […]
Group Size: Any Time Needed: 15 to 20 minutes Goal: To uncover hidden issues and understand challenging behaviors Audience: Teens, Parents, Children, Couples Special Considerations: You will need to be very clear on instructions in order for this activity to work. With two facilitators, one should arrange the spoons and represent the number while the […]
Group Size: 1 to 50+ Time Needed: 20 minutes Goal: To see if what participants say their values are match up with how they actually spend their time Audience: Couples, Parents, Singles, Teens Special Considerations: This can be an emotional experience if people discover that their lives are out of balance. This can be a […]
Group Size: 1 to 25 Time Needed: 15 to 20 minutes Goal: To encourage participants to think about what is really important in their lives and set priorities accordingly Audience: Couples, Parents, Teens, Singles Special Considerations: This activity may force participants to become noticeably uncomfortable prioritizing elements in their life which they may have never […]
Group Size: 1 to 50+ Time Needed: 5 minutes plus discussion Goal: To examine conflict resolution Audience: Parents, Couples, Teens, Children, Singles Special Considerations: To keep it from getting out-of-hand, keep this one short. Couples in particular can be very competitive. If you have two facilitators, you can demonstrate the activity before participants begin. Resources […]
Group Size: 1 to 50+ Time Needed: 5 minutes plus time for discussion Goal: To provide a communication building activity Audience: Couples, Parents, Children, Teens Special Considerations: This activity is especially powerful for couples. Co-facilitators can practice and complete this activity as a demonstration. Resources Needed: Two pieces of decorative ribbon, each about 24 inches […]
Group Size: 11 to 25 Time Needed: 20 minutes or more Goal: Gain understanding of individual differences and the unique challenges that each person faces in life. Audience: Couples, Teens, Parents, Children, Singles Special Considerations: May need to assist some participants inflate a balloon Resources Needed: One balloon per person, different sizes of balloons, masking […]
Group Size: Any (no more than 15 volunteers) Time Needed: 20 minutes Goal: To create awareness of how labels affect people, to understand self-fulfilling prophecy, and to grasp how self esteem is built and destroyed Audience: Couples, Parents, Singles, Teens, Children Special Considerations: Wait until the group has met several times before you complete this […]
Group Size: 11 to 25 Time Needed: 1 to 10 minutes Goal: Explore how it feels to handle problems on your own Audience: Couples, Teens, Parents, Children, Singles Special Considerations: May need to assist some participants inflate their balloons Resources Needed: One balloon per person Step-by-Step Instructions Ask participants to divide into pairs. Give each […]