104 Activities That Build: Self-Esteem, Teamwork, Communication, Anger Management, Self-Discovery, Coping Skills

I love this book! I'm an OT and work n a mental health facility with children ranging from 5-18 years old. I'm responsible for running 4 groups a day and was beginning to get bored with my groups. This book has been a life saver and has provided me with so many great group ideas! I have been able to modify most activities to work for all ages depending on who I'm working with. The book is organized very nicely; they split it into what the main target of each activity is geared towards (such as self-esteem, teamwork, etc.) My favorite part of the book is that included with each activity is a list of questions you can use to process with the group at the end which has been a life saver! This book is such an easy read and very easy to follow and it's packed full of wonderful ideas. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

I love that it’s broken up into sections with the number of people range. I’ve used a few of these activities already!

Alanna Jones is a certified recreational therapist who has compiled an interesting set of 104 games and activities that social workers, recreational therapists, and some educators and school counselors (in substantially separate classrooms for behavior/emotional disorders) can use. The book is organized into activities that build (1) teamwork, (2) self-esteem, (3) communication, (4) self-discovery, (5) anger management, and (6) coping skills. Almost all activities are designed for elementary school aged children, but Ms. Jones, under each activity, presents variations--either in the activity itself or in the intended age group. The crucial part of using these activities occurs after the activity is done. This is the "debriefing" part of the activity. It is absolutely necessary to do this debriefing in order that the youngster(s) arrive at some understanding of the activity just completed, and its possible meaning to them. It is assumed that the reader is comfortable with this type of debriefing, and has the skills to intercede in case the activity or debriefing are going south. The things I liked about this book are: (1) Ms. Jones' energy and positive thinking about youngsters and her desire to provide them with challenging and thoughtful moments; (2) She explains each activity or game fully, provides lists of materials needed, gives some advice on structuring the activity; (3) This is therapy "in action," so it attracts the interest and energy of the youngsters. I had two small questions about some of this book: (1) Self-esteem comes from accomplishing something, and I thought self-esteem activities were the weakest section of the book; and (2) In regard to anger management, these activities must be regarded as an adjunct, not the central core, of an anger management therapy program. When readers have a good therapeutic anger management therapy program at their facility (in their classroom), Ms. Jones' activities can help. I was impressed by Ms. Jones' selection and believe it will help counselors, therapists, coaches, and recreational therapists.

I'm am a Recreation Therapist at a behavioral health hospital and I use this book for a variety of activities. Very good for all the uses that are in the title: self-esteem, teamwork, communication, anger, and coping skills. However, while the book provides these great activities it doesn't supply the needed debriefing properties that are key for my line of work. Over all very good.

I bought this with the hope of finding experiential exercises to provide an alternative to talking-only groups. I work with an adolescent population and have used many of these activities with them. My clients enjoy the exercises. Most of the exercises would also be appropriate for an adult population, and many of them could be adapted for elementary-age children. Anyone who conducts groups on a regular basis will find this manual to be a helpful addition to his or her library.

I'm an O.D.T trainer working with diverse types of groups from all walks of life, age and profession. I have used this book numerous times for finding the perfect activity to pin the subject I want to surface with the team. The activities are diverse and well explained. Followup questions complete the discussions and provide extra input on the topics. I Highly recommend the book to every instructor, trainer or educational figure.

I've used several of the ideas in conjunction with work from Jay McGraw (Life Strategies for Teens) and Dr. Brené Brown. My students are identified as at-risk and range in age from 11-18. It's a mentor/mentee program for males, where ALL participants are at-risk. Encourages problem-solving, communication, and self-esteem development. Projects are easy to prepare, for the most part, and many can be modified for any environment.

I love this book for groups. I have found it to have a lot of fun activities, especially for teens. I have also used it with adults with severe mental illness, and children. I think many therapists, group leaders, and even youth groups will find this book an asset to their collection of group activities. It also fits many populations and the activities are versatile. I use it over and over again.

Excellent book for quick ideas to support learners.

Lots of Good Tips in the Book

Great item with loads of ideas for lessons

nice book

I have already used the resources within this book so much. I run courses dealing with the topics covered in this book and it has proven invaluable. The activities have proven fun, engaging and very popular with teenagers in particular. I would recommend these activities to anyone working with young people facing issues such as low self esteem, anger issues or poor social skills.