Our family portrait

Exploring the idea of family is important for children as they get to know a sense of place.

It doesn’t matter what your family composition is like; providing children with a chance to talk about where they belong can be a valuable activity for them. They can start to learn new words and the concept of age.

What do I need?

• Paper
• Texta, pens or pencils.

 How do I do it?

1. First of all, talk with your child about their family. Ask them to tell you the names of their family members. It could be immediate family or their extended family, and it could include friends.
2. As they name members of the family, ask them to draw each person on the paper. Write their names near each one. 
3. Talk with your child about why families are important, how people care for each other, how they do things together, and how special families can be. Discuss “What special things do your family members do together?”
4. Depending on the age of your child, you could talk about other families you know “What is the same or different?”.

No-one knows your child better than you.  So, choose and/or adapt ideas here to best suit you and your child. Remember it’s the talking and time spent together that matters most.