child immediately ends game when it is said it is time to go inside. Receives notification of payment on return to ward.
3. If option is playing with cars and tracks, and digging supplies: Equipment taken out by child must be returned and in the same condition. If holes or ruts are made, they are to be filled, in. When told it is time to clean up the mess, job should be done immediately. Receives notification of payment upon return to ward.
4. Bike riding: Bike must be returned by child taking it out and in same condition as when picked up. The bike riding area is the road in front of ICU from the corner to the driveway to Kitchen, the Kitchen drop-off area, and the tarred area right in front of Cottage C. The child should always be in sight of the staff person. There is to be no running into people, purposefully funning into the curbs, no riding too closely to another person on a bike. Using the kickstand to stand bike up – if there is one; gently lying bike on ground if there is no kickstand. Gently means placed on ground such that there is no noise, it does not dig up the ground from impact, or let fall from a distance of more than 6 inches from the ground. The child must be watchful of cars and if they are in the road or near it, they must stop as soon as they notice a car is nearing them.
Idea: To teach child responsibility and care of equipment and to learn how to safely handle equipment and follow rules.
5. Walk: This means a walk where children are within 20 feet of the staff person at all times. This walk is right around the immediate Children’s Unit area. Return to ward should be immediate when it is said it is time. It should be moving in a forward direction to designated area, where staff member has said they are going or where majority choose to go.
PROCEDURE FOR ALL OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES:
All children are to be told before they buy any activities what outside activity (or activities, if possible) is possible. After the dollars have been collected for the outside activity, the child must be told what he must do to have it be considered a good activity and be paid savings dollars for participating. The kids should be told the rules.
Upon return to the ward, the children are to be told what monies or not they are to be paid for their activity outside. If a child does not receive any money, he should be told in a straightforward, non-punitive way why he is not being paid (using criteria set up). If a child does earn his money, verbal praise for the way he did should accompany the payment. There should be no threats of non-payment, etc. while the child is on the activity. All that should be said if child asks, “You were told before we left what you had to do to earn the money.” If a child needs more than two reminders of the rules during the activity, he will not receive savings payment. If a child breaks the rules, he will not receive payment. If a child not only breaks the rules but also is fined, he will not receive payment.
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Downstairs: Definition – Downstairs means downstairs in the dayroom, bathroom, or Jeanne’s room (if specifically requested and granted). This does not mean the Hallway, Carl’s office, outside the double doors, etc.
Possible activities during this 15-min. downstairs period:
POOL – Rules: Cue stick is to be used the right way. It is to be held with both hands. The tip of the stick is to be used to hit the balls. No balls should for any reason bounce off the table or be picked up unless they have mistakenly been knocked in a pocket or it is time to rack up. The cue stick should not be damaged in any way nor should the felt be torn. The cue stick should never be raised perpendicular to the floor nor should the point ever be pointed toward a person. Kids are to take turns playing, i.e. if four want to play, then two play, then the other two, etc. There is to be no food or drink on the pool table or rim. The cue stick should never touch another person unless it is being handed gently into the other person’s hand. (The person to whom it is being handed should know cue stick is being handed to him.)
T.V. Watching: Staff will decide in conjunction with the children involved what station or program is to be viewed. Children will sit quietly in the furniture, keeping their hands to themselves and keeping their voices at a low level. When told to leave, the child responds quickly with little protest and returns quietly to the ward.
Ping-Pong: Game played by vollying ball such that ball goes over net and hits the other side of table. On service, ball is to be hit so touches both sides of table. Throwing paddles, banging paddles on table, ripping net, purposely mashing balls, hitting ball at opponent and not table, will all be behaviors for which credit will be lost. Game should be played according to rules.
PROCEDURE:
Children will be told before they leave the ward what the rules of going downstairs are. After the dollars have been collected to gain access to downstairs, the children will be told what he must do inorder to receive savings credit upon completion of the activity. If a child does earn savings, he will be told so upon return to the ward. He will also be praised verbally for a good activity. There should be no threats of non-payment, etc. while the child is on the activity. All that should be said if a child asks, “You were told before we left what you had to do to earn the savings.” If a child needs more than two of these reminders of the rules during the activity, he will not receive the savings payment. If a child breaks a rule or rules, he will not receive payment. If a child breaks a rule, naturally a staff member will try to get the child to stop, but it is only upon return to the ward that the child will be informed of lack of payment.
GENERAL NOTE ON ON-WARD ACTIVITIES
Game, Card, Radio, etc. – Please note that if children are going to rent any of the above items, both children must pay and if they are going to play cards, for example, in one of the children’s rooms, then Visitor’s Fees must also be paid.
Games: Any child can rent games, puzzles, cards, toys, etc. during this time, for use in room or day room. Games can be exchanged once during any given period.
Rules:
1. Games must be used for the purpose intended.
2. The rules of the game should be followed.
3. The game must, be returned immediately upon the end of the period in the same condition as it was when they left the office.
4. If the game is an interpersonal game, both children involved must pay for the use of the material.
5. If two children rent a game, they must use the game appropriately together to get savings credit.
6. Games must be returned immediately upon being called in by the staff.
PROCEDURES:
As each child rents game materials, the staff member will not only collect monies but will also make a brief statement about how the equipment is to be used. If material is misused, the child will not receive savings credit. If material is used correctly, then the child will be praised and receive credit.
Visitor in Room: Definition – Both children must pay to have the visit. The room owner pays to have the visitor in his room and the visitor pays to be allowed in the room. Both children must remain in the room interacting in a socially appropriate manner. They must keep their voices at a normal level. The room is defined as the room itself and whatever other adjoining rooms that room has access to.
The key here is the social appropriateness of the children’s interaction. Such things as talking and playing are acceptable and to be encouraged. Such things as name-calling, yelling, and unsupervised roughhousing will, lose both parties concerned the savings credit.
Children will terminate the visit at the end of the period.
PROCEDURE:
Staff will collect the monies and remind the children of the visiting rules. The door to a room where visitors are will be left closed but ajar. Children who have good visits will be praised and given credit.
Radio In Room: Definition – The ear plug is kept in the radio such that there is no sound on the ward. The radio is kept in the child’s room. The radio is returned promptly and in the same physical condition as it left the nurses station.
If an ear plug radio is not available, then the child