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Overview:

This week, my team and I implemented a community-based occupational therapy program (Strong, Smart, and Bold with OThers) for girls ages 7–8 attending summer camp at Girls Inc. of Worcester. Our sessions focused on building coping strategies, improving emotional awareness, and addressing sensory needs. This week we implemented two sessions per group, four in total: “Hearts & Crafts” (mood bracelets, stress balls, and worry stones) and “Chill Vibes & Calm Minds” (yoga, breathing exercises, and sensory jars). The “Engineers” group participated Monday and Tuesday, while the “Geologists” group attended Wednesday and Thursday.

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Thoughts and Feelings:

Overall, I felt encouraged by the girls’ enthusiasm for the activities and their willingness to share their feelings. At the same time, I recognized areas where my facilitation skills could be strengthened, especially in adapting to unanticipated challenges.

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What Went Well:

Day 1 - Monday (Hearts & Crafts Session): Participants responded positively to the craft activities. Many were able to articulate when they might use their mood bracelet, worry stone, or stress ball to self-regulate, demonstrating an understanding of the coping strategies that were introduced.

Day 2 - Tuesday (Chill Vibes & Calm Minds Session): The sensory jars were particularly well received, with most campers showing excitement and curiosity as they created their jars. Many campers were able to identify and relate their emotions to the glitter settling within the jar (stress, anger, sadness, etc.).

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What Didn't Go as Planned:

Day 1 - Monday (Hearts & Crafts Session): Several aspects of Monday’s session were challenging. The lack of tables required us to quickly adapt to using the gym floor. Our “How Does Your Engine Run?” introduction was too lengthy and the engine visuals were too small for the group to see effectively; these factors contributed to a loss of focus among the campers. During the crafts, we could have better promoted independence by having the girls tie their own stress balls and bracelets; participants also spent excessive time looking for the "perfect" stone to paint. The wrap-up circle was difficult to manage with the large group, as well. A behavioral incident involving a camper throwing materials also highlighted the need for clearer safety protocols.

Day 2 - Tuesday (Chill Vibes & Calm Minds Session): The yoga segment did not fill as much time as anticipated, and engagement declined. The sensory jars became excessively messy due to unrestricted materials, which created a safety hazard and extended clean-up time.

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Changes We Made:

Day 3 - Wednesday (Hearts & Crafts Session): We began by introducing ourselves as occupational therapy students; we then invited the campers to share any prior knowledge about OT. We also made the “engine” explanation to more concise during the warm-up portion, leading to increased attention. To promote independence and skill development, we demonstrated how to tie balloons and bracelets and then encouraged the participants to complete those steps themselves. To reduce the time spent selecting rocks, we had each participant reach into a bag without looking. We also introduced a system of red and green note cards to signal when groups needed assistance or were ready to transition, improving organization. During the wrap-up, dividing the participants into two smaller groups made it easier to facilitate discussion and maintain engagement.

Day 4 - Thursday (Chill Vibes & Calm Minds Session): We lengthened the yoga segment by incorporating repeated poses and counting aloud as a group, which helped sustain focus. For the sensory jars, we established clear limits on materials to improve visual outcomes and minimize mess, and we used plastic tablecloths to create a safer and more manageable workspace.

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Final Reflection and Takeaways: This week I was able to test my flexibility and quick thinking, two things which are needed when working with young children in a community setting. I learned that even small adjustments, like reworking group sizes, providing clearer visual supports, or setting simple limits on materials, can make a big difference in how well an activity runs. Introducing the purpose of occupational therapy at the start was very important in helping the girls understand why we were there! I feel as though the second group (the 'Geologists') responded better to our activities (in terms of achieving desirable outcomes), with them knowing our purpose and mission. So far, this experience has deepened my appreciation for community-based OT; this experience will contribute to my clinical reasoning and confidence as a future practitioner.

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Overview:

This week, my team and I implemented a community-based occupational therapy program (Strong, Smart, and Bold with OThers) for girls ages 7–8 attending summer camp at Girls Inc. of Worcester. Our sessions focused on building coping strategies, improving emotional awareness, and addressing sensory needs. This week we implemented two sessions per group, four in total: "Mission: Teamwork" (a treasure hunt activity to address teamwork) and "Move n' Groove" (a dance session to foster self-expression). The “Engineers” group participated Monday and Tuesday, while the “Geologists” group attended Wednesday and Thursday.

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Thoughts and Feelings:

Heading into this week’s session with my fellow grad students, I felt more at ease, thinking I had a good sense of what to expect. I was more familiar with the environment and felt prepared for how the session might unfold. Still, I found myself needing to adapt more than I anticipated. This experience was a valuable reminder that, as a future occupational therapy practitioner, flexibility is crucial. Even with careful planning, unexpected challenges arise, and being able to think on my feet and adjust in the moment is a skill I’m continuing to develop.

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What Went Well:

Day 5 - Monday (Mission: Teamwork): The girls showed strong engagement during teamwork activities, especially when reflecting on their team roles in the wrap-up. Many were able to identify and express how they contributed to their group, demonstrating growth in self-awareness and collaboration. There was a noticeable level of enthusiasm throughout the session, with lots of smiles and energy from the group.

Day 6 - Tuesday (Move n' Groove): Although many of the girls were initially hesitant to dance, the freeze-dance warm-up helped them loosen up and feel more comfortable moving in front of their peers. As the session progressed, they became more engaged and confident. The group particularly enjoyed learning new dance moves, and six girls proudly contributed their own choreography to the group routine. By the end of the session, most of the girls were smiling and clearly having fun. Some of the girls even shared that they would use dance in the future as a way to express themselves and their emotions.

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What Didn't Go as Planned:

Day 5 - Monday (Mission: Teamwork):

Despite clear directions that the treasure hunt was not a race, many of the girls ended up running, which disrupted the intended pace and spirit of the activity. Facilitators had to repeatedly remind the group to slow down and focus on teamwork rather than competition.

Day 6 - Tuesday (Move n' Groove):

Some girls became upset after the dance activity when they did not receive a squishy toy, expecting one simply for participating. Although it had been explained that the prize was for those who contributed original dance moves, the miscommunication led to disappointment and required both myself and the other facilitators to step in, clarify expectations, and help the girls manage their emotions.

Day 7 - Wednesday (Mission: Teamwork):

Fewer girls attended than expected, with only 9 participants instead of the planned 15–18. This required on-the-spot adjustments to group activities to ensure they remained engaging and appropriate for a smaller group size.

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Changes We Made:

Day 7 - Wednesday (Mission: Teamwork):

The running policy was reinforced more strictly; the girls were clearly informed that if they were told to stop running more than once, they would not be eligible to receive a prize from the treasure chest. This helped reduce running and encouraged more mindful participation.

Day 8 - Thursday (Move n' Groove):

We reinforced the squishy toy policy by clearly explaining that only girls who contributed an original dance move would receive a squishy. To ensure understanding, the girls were asked to repeat the rule back to us. This approach increased participation and motivated more girls to create and share their own dance moves.

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Final Reflection and Takeaways:

This experience demonstrated the importance of clear communication and consistent expectations when working with groups. I learned that even with thorough planning, flexibility and on-the-spot adaptations are essential to meeting the needs of the individuals and groups I work with. Reinforcing rules and involving the participants in understanding guidelines not only helped manage behavior but also encouraged greater engagement. As a future occupational therapy practitioner, I plan to apply what I’ve learned from this experience by creating environments that are both supportive and structured, carefully balancing flexibility with clear and consistent boundaries to best meet the needs of the group.