In a healthy relationship between an adult and a child, the child feels seen and understood. One way to show this is to have the child create a self-portrait. Working together, have a child draw his own self-portrait. Let him be as creative as he wants to be! You can even pull out a mirror to help.

This is a great activity for a whole class to do. When they’ve finished their portraits, you can display them all around the room. Tell the students that you want them to feel included in the class.

Self-portraits are a visual reminder to kids that they are seen and understood. When they feel included and represented, and when they truly feel seen by the adults in their lives, they’ll be better able to form deep connections and safe relationships.