Unit 12: Creative and therapeutic activities in health and social care
2A.P1 Describe 3 activities suitable for individuals or groups in 2 health and social care settings.
2A.P2 Describe the benefits of 3 activities for individuals or groups in 2 health and social settings.
2A.M1 Assess the suitability of activities for an individual or group, with reference to a case study.
2A.D1 Make recommendations to improve activities for an individual/group, reference a case study.
Setting 1: Pre-school and setting 2: Residential
Creative;
therapeutic Preschool Residential care home
activities
Pre-schoolers are children between the ages of 3 Residential care homes provide care for elderly
to 5, during this time they will learn to have some people who need assistance in their daily lives,
physical independence. Painting is suitable for individuals who can’t care for themselves. Painting is
them because it helps them learn and develop. It suitable for the residents because they live away
is easy, fun, and creative and will allow them to from family and that can be depressing and make
Painting explore and experiment with different kinds of them feel lonely so activities like painting are vital to
objects and colours which will help their physical, keep them happy and entertained. It is especially
intellectual, emotional, and social development. beneficial for older adults with dementia and those
Painting expands their ability to interact with the in physical or mental pain because it keeps their
world around them and allows them to express minds sharp and makes being there more enjoyable
themselves and communicate through their art. and it allows the residents to connect with one
another and have fun.
Pre-schoolers tend to learn using their bodies so As we get older exercise may not be a realistic
swimming lessons are perfect for stimulating their option, especially if an individual has a physical
brains and giving them better understanding of disability. Swimming is suitable for the elderly
their body movements and space around them. because it is a low impact exercise which is great for
Swimming Swimming is important for pre-schoolers but the them. It is especially good for individuals with
most obvious reason is for their own safety. The arthritis. It is a great exercise choice for anyone who
highest drowning rates are among children ages wants to remain in great shape in later life. Almost
1-4 followed by children aged 5-9. Reference: all elderly individuals can improve their health &
Drowning (who.int) To avoid tragedies like this it wellbeing through swimming. Swimming regularly
is important to teach swimming to pre-schoolers. increases an individual’s life span allowing them to
live a longer and healthier life.
Board games are popular at pre-schools because Board games are a fun, engaging, and stress relieving
they are a flexible, interactive, and effective way activity that even elderly individuals play. They help
of keeping kids entertained. Playing board games them stay focussed, think strategically, and improve
with pre-schoolers is a great way to teach them their memory. Games like Scrabble and Sudoku can
important social skills like communicating, be a fun way to activate their brains. Residential care
Board games sharing, and taking turns. Educational board homes should organize game nights because they
games are great because they teach them to are popular amongst the residents because they
learn letters, numbers, shapes, and math. They help to strengthen their social connections. They can
will give them the chance to learn cognitive also be great for those who may feel lonely
skills like memory, problem-solving, and especially if their families barely visit. It can be a
strategy. Board games are the good when pre- good way to socialise. Low socialisation has been
schoolers are bored because boredom can make proven to lead to the loss of physical function, social
children restless and annoyed. isolation, and depression.
, Benefits of painting in pre-schools:
There are many benefits of painting for pre-schoolers. Painting will help them to develop physically,
intellectually, emotionally, and socially. Grasping paintbrushes and other utensils will allow children
to develop their fine motor skills. This development will help them with writing and other tasks that
require controlled movements. Working on large sheets of paper helps develop their gross motor
skills helping them develop physically. Painting is a great way for children to communicate their
thoughts either verbally or in the marks they make, it is also one of the best ways for children to
develop their verbal language skills when they talk about and describe their art with others. Painting
gives children an opportunity to talk about colours, shapes, sizes and what they are doing. They can
describe what they have painted helping them to communicate with those around them, expanding
their vocabulary.
Painting allows pre-schoolers to freely express themselves and develop their creativity. It stimulates
their brain and supports cognitive development. It develops their ability to think outside the box, so
they can solve problems effectively and in various ways. Painting encourages a child to use their
imagination. Escaping reality and entering the world they create can help with their well-being and
mental health. Creative activities like painting use a different part of the brain than reading and or
math. The right side of the brain is our creative half and responsible for visual skills and
understanding what we see through our eyes. Painting helps exercise the right side of a child’s brain
leading to an overall healthy brain development. Painting helps relieve stress, just like everyone else,
pre-schoolers get stressed too, painting is one way a child can de-stress and is a healthy way to
express their feelings.
Painting can contribute to emotional development and making children feel good about themselves.
It can give them a sense of purpose. It can also reduce stress, anxiety and depression and make kids
feel happier and calmer. Painting can also be a great way to relax. It can distract kids from their busy
and stressful lives and is a form of meditation. Many kids may go onto becoming professional artists
and discover a lifelong passion. Children will take pride and accomplishment in their paintings even if
they are not that good and this will build their self-confidence and raise their self-esteem. Painting
will give them a way to express themselves through their art. For example, if they feel stressed their
painting may hint at those feelings allowing teachers and or parents to help them through difficult
times. They might also feel a sense of relief because they are able to get out those negative
emotions.
Painting will help children develop socially which is essential for a child while growing up. Children
will be happy to see others having the same hobby and interest as them. Having painting lessons at
pre-schools help kids communicate with each other. It’s also a great way for them to expand their
social circle and make new friends. Not only do kids form friendships with their peers but they also
bond with their family. It helps kids connect with their peers who might share the same interests.
Painting can help develop an awareness in children of different traditions and cultures around the
world. It can help them understand that not everyone has the same beliefs as they do and it is a fun
