'Family I can't see' Mini Me

What you need

Pictures of family or friends.

Benefits

Having a ‘mini me’ supports children’s emotional well-being and self-expression. During this difficult time, children may not be able to express how they feel - in this activity, they can act it out with their ‘mini me’ during role-play or talk to the person they have printed out.

It is also a gateway for your child to open up to you. You could explore your family tree or talk about what these people mean to you.

The experience

Find a photo of a person you have not seen in a while, a person that you or your child miss.

Cut around the picture, if you can laminate or back it with card it will last longer. Pop your ‘mini me’ onto a lollypop stick or a wooden spoon. You could also stick it to a small wooden block or a Lego/Duplo block.

Then, follow your child’s lead. They may role play with the ‘mini me’, or just want them close to talk to or cuddle.