Level 2

Unit 12: Creative and Therapeutic activities in health and social care
P1: Describe three creative and therapeutic activities for individuals or groups in two different health and social care settings
P2: Describe the benefits of three creative and therapeutic activities for individuals or groups in two different health and social care settings
Introduction: In this assignment I will describe three creative and therapeutic activities for individuals or groups in two different health and social
care settings. I will also describe the benefits of three creative and therapeutic activities for individuals or groups in two different health and social
care settings.

Setting 1:
School: School is a place of education, where children in their adolescence go to learn basic knowledge such as literacy, numeracy and other
different subjects that will help them in their future life and job. School helps with getting qualifications that are needed to get into jobs that
involve having knowledge/ qualifications for that job. School helps with other things such as friendships/ relationships, knowledge, understanding
of certain things (abuse/ bulling/ FGM/ knife crimes and so on) to make sure children are aware that these things do occur in life.

Activity 1 Description:
Painting: Painting is a part of art where you use assorted colors, canvases, sources, and objects to create
or recreate a piece of art. Painting can be calming, relaxing or aggressive, fast, either way painting is done
through emotions. It can help one get their emotions out and understand what one is feeling through the
painting.
Physical: Painting can help the gross and fine motor skills when moving your hand and wrist to get the
correct texture of the painting on the canvas. Painting can help gross motor skills as you may be doing a big painting which requires a lot of walking
around, moving in different positions, stretching up or down and other gross motor movements that may be involved with painting. Handling paint
brushes while painting can increase mobility in the hands and fingers. Children also develop better hand eye coordination when painting when they
are painting with a paintbrush or small tool. This helps with small muscle control.
 Intellectual: Painting can help children with memory as it sharpens their minds through creative and abstract thinking/ visualization and planning
process of painting. Decision making is developed more as they decide on which colours and paintbrush size to use for their painting, this also helps
one develop self-ownership as they make these decisions on their own based on what they want to do. Painting also helps with building knowledge
of different shapes, colours, patterns and sizes. It stimulates creative thinking and imagination growth as they are creating a piece of art that is
based on their imagination, which helps develop creative thinking. Painting also helps with problem solving, when they make mistakes while
painting, they try to fix the problem by adding more paint or by doing something to resolve that problem. This can help children in the future as
problem solving will be needed in daily life and future jobs.
Emotional: Painting can help with expressing emotions. It can also help relieve stress as when children paint, they paint down their emotions,
helping them to understand their emotions better, through the painting. Painting helps children explore different emotions and helps children find
a way to express their emotions. This helps build self-esteem as once the painting has been complete, they will feel a sense of pride and
achievement in their work. This inspires children to try new things and at a new level of skill. This allows children to freely express themselves and
develop their creativity. Stimulates positive attitudes as painting helps children to relax and to feel safe to express their emotions.
Social: Painting can help one's social development as children can paint together. They could build a new bond as they share paint pots, take turns
with paint brushes, work together and develop new communication and language skills when they are talking to each other.

Activity 2 Description:
Reading: Reading is when one reads words, numbers etc. whether it is in a book, newspaper, phone, TV
and so on. Reading is involved in literacy and numeracy etc. Reading is used in everyday life. In school they
read to help children progress their vocabulary, SPAG and literacy skills.
Physical: The movement of hand/ fingers when reading words children would find it easier to move their
fingers while reading the words. Fine motor skills and hand eye coordination develop as when read there is
movement of head and eyes. When reading, it helps with stress relief which goes into helping one's physical health as it helps with sleep as it
relaxes one's mind, which improves sleep.
Intellectual: Reading expands creative and imaginative thinking as when reading the words create an image in one's mind, allowing the reader to
‘see’ the story playing out in their mind. This can help boost one's imagination as there may be mythical creatures in the book. Develop
concentration as one concentrates on the words in the book draws the reader in, creating an imagination in their mind. It helps improve literacy
skill as when reading there is different vocabulary and spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPAG) used, which if one reads constantly, can be stored
in one's memory as one is used to seeing certain words and SPAG used.
Emotional: Reading can help relieve stress as when reading one concentrates on the words, and one is focused on creating a picture in their mind.
It calms and relaxes one's mind. Develop empathy and understanding towards the characters in the book. This helps children identify different
emotions. Children then build an understanding towards others which can be used towards those in the real world. Higher self-esteem. This helps
children to connect to the characters in books and have an understanding towards different perspectives.
Social: Develops empathy- Through characters. Builds relationships when reading in a group or the children may come across a book, they both
like, which builds relationships and a bond between them. Developing knowledge and communication skills as books have a variety of different
topics, which can be remembered by the reader as they may have enjoyed reading the book. This can build relationships as one has a wide range of
knowledge to talk about with another person, building new bonds as one may come across someone who has similar interests.

Activity 3 Description:
Performing arts/ role play/ Drama: Drama is a sort of art (performing art) which Is involved in acting and role
play. Drama is where you act out a character who is not you, which means you would have to act out a different
personality, wear different clothes and have different moods. Drama involves different settings, voices and so on.
In school they do drama as a subject to help children be more creative and learn how to work together in a
group.
Physical: Gross motor skills as role play/ performing ats is about moving around and acting out a character. Improves flexibility as when role playing
you move around quite a lot. Coordination and balance skills are developed. In role play there is running, throwing and many more actions
involved, which are gross motor skill. Then there is writing and coloring which are fine motor skills which happen when planning the role play out
and could happen during the role play.
Intellectual: Develops memories as you rehearse words, actions, and movements. Drama helps children understand the world around them as
there are different personalities in a character, which helps children understand that not everyone has the same personality. Children learn
numeracy and literacy skills when role playing through reading scripts, playing/ using with toys, using different objects, shapes, and books. Creative
thinking develops as they think of a story to role play, a script, what characters are involved, what objects and what the narration is going to be like.
 This helps develop creativity as it is based on the children's ideas from their mind (their imagination), which also involves critical thinking. This
allows children to explore a variety of roles and scenarios. They could role play out being a superhero or something like a dragon and so on.
Children can also gain a sense of independence as they may have to button themselves up into a costume, narrating a story and so on. Role play
involves thinking creatively, paying attention to certain things, control, and flexibility, which involve critical thinking. Concentration as are children
encouraged by teachers to listen to one another's ideas.
Emotional: Through role playing children can learn to work through their emotions, when they speak and even before they speak, they are
expressing emotions through their facial features, body movement and actions. Develops confidence in children as they come out of their comfort
zone to role play different characters in front of others, as they also learn that they can do many things by themselves and that they also can be
cooperative. Trying a new thing may also make them happy as they may have enjoyed it. Helps children to explore different emotions as they act
out the emotions, this helps with developing empathy and an understanding of what others may feel like in the real world. Self-expression and self-
esteem.
Social: drama helps develop your communication skills as you speak as the character. Drama encourages children to work together to create a role
play. When working in a team to create a role play, children learn how to cooperate as one child leads and is encouraged to listen to their group's
ideas to create a role play together. During the planning and the role-playing children can make bonds and build trust in each other and the process
of role playing.

Setting 2:
Care home: Care homes are a place where professionals such as health care assistances, nurses and so on take care of venerable, disabled, and
unable people. Those with special needs. They take care, look after people with difficulties. They provide help and care for them. There are many
activities that happen in a care home such as:

Activity 1 Description:
Boardgames: Boardgames are games that can be played alone or with others. Most
boardgames involve more than two players, and dices and counters. Boardgames are
tabletop games which involve moving counters around and much more.
 Physical: fine motor skills as you move your fingers, arms and sometimes you need to stretch over to reach your counter. Lowers your blood
pressure as endorphins is increased, which helps relax the muscles and increases circulation in the body. Builds immunity as the body is weaker as
you grow older and so the decrease in stress and anxiety can help contribute to comprised immunity.
Intellectual: Helps with memory and cognitive thinking and critical thinking as you need to pay attention and think carefully about ‘your next move’
in the game. If one in the care home has dementia, boardgames can help a lot with their memory and the mind as your mind must be engaged and
sometimes you need to remember certain things part of board games. However, there are instructions that are there to help them. Speeds up your
reaction time as you need to think quickly about your next move. Focus and concentration can help cognitive thinking. Some boardgames can help
with short- and long-term memory. Increases one's attention.
Emotional: Help by bringing joy and happiness to one another. Brings laughter and increases endorphins which can make you happy. These
endorphins make you feel good and happy, leaving the person cheerful and content. Decreases stress as endorphins make you feel happy.
Endorphins reduce the blood levels of cortisol (the stress hormone).
Social: played with friends and care workers. Brings people together as they may find that they have similar interests. Playing with others creates a
stronger bond or new bonds. Helps others to make interactions with others without needing to be under pressure to think about anything to talk
about. This helps with social anxiety and shyness; you have something to talk about as you are not pressured. Boardgames lead to interesting
conversations and face to face conversations help build stronger bonds. You can have a fun and engaging way to connect with people.

Activity 2 Description:
Knitting: Knitting is done by one person, where you have a knitting needle and thread/ yarn/ different
fabrics and colours are used in knitting. Knitting has many different patterns and ways to make different
types of shapes. In care homes they encourage knitting as it helps
Physical: Fine motor skills as you make hand movements and finger/ wrist movements when moving the
knitting needles and yarn. Makes one feel productive. Improves hand eye coordination as when you knit
regularly your brain remembers the rhythmic hand movements. The older you get the more difficult hand eye coordination may become for elderly
people. This helps as then your brain and hand work together to maintain your fine motor skills. It can help improve strength in your hands, which
 gives you a better grip. Helps with chronic pain as knitting requires many parts of your brain and so when knitting endorphins are released,
reducing stress levels, enabling relaxation and calmness as the brain then interrupts those pain triggers.
Intellectual: Improves memory and concentration as you need to concentrate on the movement of your hands while doing many other things, like
focusing on the pattern. Improves memory as your brain starts to remember (develops a memory for knitting) the hand movements for certain
patterns when knitting regularly. This is also called pattern recognition. Knitting can reduce mild cognitive impairments as it requires using many
parts of your brain at the same time while knitting, when moving your hand in a rhythmic way so that you can make a pattern for your yarn to be
secured enough so that it will not be loose when you have finished. New neuropathways can be created and strengthened by learning new skills
and movements.
Emotional: Reduces depression- as one is sitting comfortably, counting, repetitive movements and concentration can reduce the same amount as
meditation more quickly reducing depression and anxiety, calming. Reduces depression- knitting is a process of creation of an fined project. And as
depressed one feels hopeless and unable to do anything, and when a knitted object is either complete or just a defined pattern one can feel that
they have accomplished something. This can make them feel that they can do something. This can boost one's self-esteem as they have
accomplished a new task or have learnt a new thing, which can strengthen one's belief that they can succeed, increasing positive self- efficiency.
The fine motor movements involving knitting help release an endorphin called serotonin. This endorphin can help reduce anxiety and makes one
happier. Reduces stress as you move in a repetitive rhythm, which is the key to the calmness you get from knitting.
Social: Reduces loneliness and isolation as you can start knitting in a group where you can communicate with one another while knitting. Knitting
with others enables mutual learning, communication, exploration and discovery. There may be a knitting group in the care home which all are
encouraged to go to, to prevent loneliness. An increased sense of achievement and pride is found when collaborating with others and achieving
your goal together.

Activity 3 Description:
Gardening: Gardening is when you look after your garden plants, you plant seeds, and you water your plants.
Gardening has to do with nature, plants and so on. In care homes they encourage those to garden by watching
plants grow, smelling flowers and eating organic plants/ fruit and vegetables that grow.
Physical: Helps with gross and fine motor as you may need to bend down or stretch when feeding the plants
water or when planting seeds. Also, when reaching out, twisting, and pulling, which are light aerobic exercises,
which improve the lungs and heart, reduces the risk of getting obese as you are moving around quite a lot. Helps
strengthen bones and joints as one uses their gross motor skills quite often when gardening. Helps with balance and reduces risks of falls. Exposer
to sunshine which increases vitamin D (a synthesizer of serotonin). Improves dexterity (other tasks that are done by hand). Doing a lot of gross
motor skill movements can reduce type 2 diabetes, risks of some cancers and osteoporosis.
Intellectual: Increases concentration when planting, feeding the plants water and focus. Being around plants quite often (plant filled homes or
areas) can boost memory and heighten attention span. Gardening reminds those in care homes of the connection to nature, it helps them focus on
the bigger picture. When older gardeners are encouraged to learn about new plants or plan new gardening projects, it helps with gaining new
knowledge. Knowledge such as new plant names, a history of gardening or learning names for plants.
Emotional: Helps with depression as having a connection with nature makes one feel happier as it increases feel good endorphins such as
serotonin, which makes one happier. Gardening also makes you feel more peaceful and calmer. Gardening boosts self-esteem and self-confidence
from achieving their goals and enjoying the food they have grown. Reduces stress as gardening and being out in nature requires less effortful
attention and may be a distraction from daily hassles.
Social: Meeting new people, creating or building new bonds and having shared interests with others. Care homes may encourage the elders to
garden together as it benefits them socially. Gardening groups help those involved connect with nature and each other. Connecting with others
while gardening allows them to receive social support and to contribute positively to the lives of others, to prevent social isolation and loneliness.
When meeting new gardeners, they may meet a person with similar goals and interests which then a relationship/ bond is formed.