Fleet & Family Support Centers of Hampton Roads, Virginia
PARENT & CHILD
ACTIVITY BOOK
YEARS
Parent Page
Deployments can be a stressful time for both parents and children. Good communication
is one way to provide information about the deployment, increase understanding about
military life, and maintain relationships during the separation.
This Parent Child Activity Book was created to assist parents in enhancing communica-
tion during a deployment and to provide activities for children to complete alone or with
their parent/caregiver at home.
Other tips for using this book:
N Set aside time each week to work on activities together with your child.
N Explain things to your child such as the meaning of the words in the word searches or
other activities.
N Send letters/e-mails to the deployed parent from you or your child about an activity
that sparked interest. Encourage the parent at sea to ask the child about it to create
further discussion.
N Ask kids which activity they liked the best and why.
N Provide supplies so your child can use new ideas on keeping in touch with their de-
ployed parent such as paper to do the special code activity or stickers or markers to
use for the welcome home sign.
We hope this book helps you find ways to talk with your child. Sit down and go through
the pages you feel will be helpful. Use the activities to stimulate discussion. Express your
own feelings, good and bad, about the deployment and let your children do the same.
MAIL! MAIL! MAIL!
Everyone loves getting mail, especially when separated from loved ones.
N Encourage kids to write/e-mail their deployed parent regularly.
N Encourage the deployed parent to write/e-mail each child separately and regularly.
N Use the communication activities in this book to make the letter/e-mailing task
easier for both parent and child.
We hope this book will help families cope with the uniqueness of the military lifestyle.
Military families are persevering and resourceful, and this book can help your child draw
on these characteristics.
DEVELOPMENT STAGES
IN CHILDREN
Preschool Age (3-6)
Developmental Indicators Reactions to Stress Helpful Suggestions
Requires concrete Clings to others Help parent pack seabag
experiences
Whines Take family photos
Craves security
Experiences separation Draw pictures of ship,
Needs consistency anxiety plane, etc.
Does not have a clear May worry Visit the deploying parent’s
understanding of the workplace
concept of time May blame self for parent’s
absence Exchange gifts/care
Likes predictability packages during the
Cries more often deployment
Imagination can be quite
active Displays irritability Watch the ship leave
Asks lots of questions May display aggressive Provide activities to help
behavior mark the passage of time
Keep children’s schedule
the same as before the
deployment if possible
Encourage regular
communication between
child and deployed parent
Children develop at their own individual rates. The above are some general characteris-
tics that apply to many children this age.
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of
the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation,
under God,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.
This is my parent’s
seabag.
Circle the items that can be packed.
Hi! I’m Chesty, the Marine
Corps mascot.
Color me.
HELICOPTER
4
3 5
12 6
2
9
7
1
8
11
10
Connect the dots and you’ll soon be flying high!
HOW DO I FEEL?
Happy Worried Lonely Hurt OK Frustrated
Silly Sad Confused Angry Scared Confident
When Mom/Dad goes away you may feel sad, mad, or glad.
Draw a face in the picture to show how you feel today.
The on the Ship
(Tune is the same as ‘‘The Wheels on the Bus’’)
The Radar on the ship goes blip, blip, blip.
Blip, blip, blip. Blip, blip, blip. Physical movement: point fingers up and
move back and forth in front of body, like
The radar on the ship goes blip, blip, blip. the lines on the radar screen.
All around the ______________________.
(Use the ship’s name)
The engine on the ship goes brrr, brrr, brrr.
Brrr, brrr, brrr. Brrr, brrr, brrr. Physical movement: arms in circular mo-
tion on sides of body similar to a choo-choo
train’s movement.
The engine on the ship goes brrr, brrr, brrr.
All around the ______________________.
(Use the ship’s name)
The anchor on the ship goes up and down.
Up and down. Up and down.
Physical movement: body goes up and
down.
The anchor on the ship goes up and down.
All around the ______________________.
(Use the ship’s name)
The horn on the ship goes toot, toot, toot.
Toot, toot, toot. Toot, toot, toot. Physical movement: use arm to pull horn
down.
The horn on the ship goes toot, toot, toot.
All around the ______________________.
(Use the ship’s name)
Directions: Practice this song, record it, and then, mail it to the parent at sea.
SNORKELS!
My Dad’s submarine!
Color this sign for homecoming
PAPER PLATE FACES
ACTIVITy
Purpose: To stimulate conversation on feelings and create a better understanding of the different
kinds of feelings.
Supplies: Two small paper plates, stapler, staples, elbow macaroni and markers
Procedures:
1. Make paper plate faces (rattle).
a. Place one plate on table.
b. Pour small amount of elbow macaroni on plate.
c. Place second plate on top and staple around edges.
2. Ask child what makes him/her happy and why. Make a happy face on one side of plate.
3. Ask child what makes him/her sad and why. Make a sad face on the other side of plate.
4. Share with the child some things that make you happy or sad about the deployment. Listen and
respect the child’s feelings. Have him/her use the rattle to help them express themselves. Help
him/her to understand that there is an acceptable way to express feelings.
Date ________________________
(Fill out at the beginning of the deployment.)
___________________
Grows and Changes
_________ _________
Height Clothes Size
_________ _________
Weight Hair Length
_________ _________
Age Shoe Size
Date ________________________
(Fill out at the beginning of the deployment.)
___________________
Grows and Changes
_________ _________
Height Clothes Size
_________ _________
Weight Hair Length
_________ _________
Age Shoe Size
I love you from the tip of
my finger to the bottom
of my sole.
Directions: Have someone trace around your hand and your foot. Color in your hand and
foot. Send it to your deployed parent. Ask your deployed parent to send you a drawing of
their hand, so that you can ‘‘hold their hand’’ while they are deployed.
Hand in hand
Directions: Trace child’s hand and send to deployed parent. Parent can then return the
sheet with their big hand traced over the child’s hand.
ALL ABOUT ME
I like to see
I like to hear
I remember going with you to
I think about you when
I wish
I feel sad when
I feel good inside when
Picture Cards ACTIVITY
Picture Cards
Purpose: To reinforce the idea that maintaining the family connection and communica-
tion during a deployment is very important.
Supplies: One piece of construction paper per child, one copy of the poem per child (or
make your own), scissors, glue, pencils, pens, markers, one photo of each child.
Procedures:
1. Get all supplies and copy poem, or have child copy or write poem.
2. Have child fold the piece of construction paper in half lengthwise.
3. Cut poem to fit in card or write poem on card. Read it to your child.
4. Take a picture of your child to be used in card.
5. Cut a hole smaller than photo out of cover and carefully glue photo inside.
Make sure photo is visible through the hole in front of the card.
6. Have your child sign card and decorate how he/she wishes.
7. Give the card to mom/dad to take on deployment.
8. Make sure each child has a picture of his/her deploying parent.
Poem
(See poem on next page)
Dot of glue, between photo and card
Cut oval out of card front
Photo of child (face out)
REMEMBER ME
Remember me while you are gone
Especially when you’re all alone.
And think of how I’m missing you
And all the things we like to do.
Remember me, too, when you write home.
I love to get mail — all my own
That I can share, but also keep
Beneath my pillow as I sleep.
But most of all,
When you’re feeling blue,
Remember me, because
I love you!
COUNTDOWN TO
HOMECOMING
10
days
Think of ten HAPPY THOUGHTS.
9
days
Name nine ways you can
SHOW YOUR LOVE.
left left
8
days
Draw a bouquet of eight flowers to
give to MOM/DAD as a 7
days
Color a rainbow with seven colors
connecting your heart to your
homecoming gift. deployed parent’s heart. You still
left left love them and they still love you.
6
days
Create a circle of caring for your
parent. Outline your hand six 5
days
Draw and color five fish swimming
home.
times, in a circle pattern, and
left color. left
4
days
Do four things today to help
prepare for homecoming. 3
days
Think of three things to show
MOM/DAD when they come home.
left left
2
days
Trace two of your shoes, and
color, to show your parent how big 1
days
Draw a picture of the ONE
BIG FAMILY HUG you’ll have
you are now. tomorrow.
left left
Little Creek Newport News Norfolk Northwest Oceana Yorktown
462-7563 688-NAVY 444-2102 421-8770 433-2912 887-4606
WEBSITE: www.ffscnorva.navy.mil
PCPD0411N