Circle:

• Name tags should be available so each child can create one for himself or herself upon arrival
• Chairs should be arranged so that children sit in a circle
• A teddy bear should be placed on each chair
• The group leader begins the circle session by welcoming the children and reviewing the purpose of the group
• The leader introduces the theme for the evening
• Each child is asked to introduce himself or herself, give his or her age and tell the group who it is they love who has cancer (mom, dad or other)

Purpose of Session:
This session concentrates on how it takes both rain and sun to make a rainbow, showing how good things can come from bad experiences.

Talk about comfortable and uncomfortable feelings and how people can have more than one feeling at a time. These exercises should help the children understand that all feelings are okay.

Activity:
Science Experiment -- this project turns a large, clear container, half-filled with water, into "stormy clouds" by add different colors of food coloring. Once the mixture is black, the leader should add bleach slowly. Let the mixture stand for one minute. Each of the children should stir the mixture. It will become clear before their eyes.

Story:
A Rainbow of My Own or What's Heaven

Craft:

1. Paint T-shirts with rainbows

2. Have children use pipe cleaners and cotton balls to make clouds and rainbows on construction paper. Use chalk to draw a rainbow on construction paper
3. Weather permitting, go outside and draw rainbows on sidewalks with chalk
4. Have children use sponge paint to make rainbows on several mediums

Refreshments:
Fruit flavored gelatin in rainbow colors

Session Held:
Summer