Activity time: 8 minutes

Description of Activity

This active game demonstrates how we can turn something horrible into something beautiful. Gather the children in a circle, standing or sitting depending on mobility issues in the group. Tell the participants that at the count of three they will use their bodies and faces, as quietly and quickly as possible, to make the most horrible pose possible. When you call "Freeze," they should hold their position silently and look around at everyone else. Give participants a moment to think of the posture they will adopt. Count to three and when participants seem to have some truly horrible postures, call out "Freeze!"

While the children are "frozen," encourage them to look around to see others’ poses. Ask some volunteers to describe what makes their pose horrible.

Now say you will count to three and call “Freeze!” again. This time, they will change their posture and face into something beautiful. Give them a moment to think of an idea. Count to three, and when you see they have found their beautiful postures, call "Freeze!" Encourage them to look around. Compliment everyone on how beautiful they have made themselves!

Process this activity with questions such as:

• Was it hard or easy to turn the horrible poses into beautiful poses? How did you do it?
• How did it feel when you were making a horrible pose? A beautiful pose?
• I wonder what other horrible or ugly things we could make beautiful?

Including All Participants

If the group includes a blind child, invite the children to make horrible/beautiful sounds. To avoid loud chaos, have children take turns making a horrible sound first and then changing it into a beautiful sound.