Create a Coat of Arms With Children

Drawing Images of What a Child Values

Jul 26, 2009 Susan Caplan

Children draw images of what is important in their life at this moment.

Traditionally, a coat of arms expressed an individual’s or family’s values. Children can create a personal coat of arms to convey what is important to them at this point in their life. Make fashioning a coat of arms a yearly tradition to follow a child’s interests over time.

This activity is adapted from a 2004 American Camp Association workshop lead by Robert Selverstone, PhD, who in turn adapted the coat of arms activity from Dr. Sidney B. Simon, Leland W. Howe, and Howard Kirschenbaum in their book, Value Clarification [Grand Central Publishing, 1995].

Creating a Personal Coat of Arms

  1. Depending on the age of the child, either the parent or the child can draw a shield. Leave one inch at the top of the page and four inches at the bottom of the page blank.
  2. Divide the shield into six segments (2 across and 3 down)
  3. Fill in each segment with a picture symbol that represents the following categories. (Give children several minutes to complete each section before moving on.) Children can fill in their shield in any manner they wish; they do not have to fill segments in the order provided.
  4. Divide any of the segments in half. The child draws two things he feels good about because he does well.
  5. The child draws a symbol representing a person, event or circumstance that has had an important and positive impact on the child’s life.
  6. Divide one segment of the shield in half. Draw two pictures, one representing the child’s greatest strength and one representing the child’s greatest weakness.
  7. Divide one segment in half. The child draws a picture of her most outstanding success or achievement over the past year and her greatest failure over the past year.
  8. The child draws a picture of something he struggles to become (a better baseball player, someone who can do a cartwheel, etc.)
  9. In one segment, the child draws something to show that she lives by what is most important to her life at this time.
  10. Beneath the shield, draw a ribbon with four loose ends.
  11. On each of the ribbon ends, the child lists one word that she would like to hear used to describe her by 1) her friends, 2) her teachers, 3) her parents, 4) someone else in the child’s life (babysitter, grandfather, etc.)

Sharing Strengths in Children

While a child considers how to fill in each section, parents should be prepared to listen and accept what the child says, even if the parent would prefer the child highlight other aspects of his life. Ask direct questions that draw out information to have a better understanding of how the child perceives himself. Give him the chance to talk.

Affirming Strengths in Children

After parents listens to their child and watch her create a coat of arms, the parents can then translate their view of the child’s strengths into words that they write at the top of the shield. Select two or three words.

Parents and children can work together to create a personal coat of arms for the child. The child expresses what is important to her life at this time. Parents encourage children through the process of drawing images that communicate different aspects of her life. Create a tradition of making a coat of arms each year to follow the child’s interests and beliefs about himself.

The copyright of the article Create a Coat of Arms With Children in Kids Crafts is owned by Susan Caplan. Permission to republish Create a Coat of Arms With Children in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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