Bricks and Ladders
Submitted by Katelyn Franks of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center on 5-24-12

Size of Group: 10-12

Equipment/Supplies Needed:  Red paper cut outs (bricks), paper, tape, markers, expo markers

Activity/Treatment Objective or Expected Outcome:  To assist patients in identifying barriers to leisure. To assist the patients to seeing how they may overcome barriers to their recreation

Description of the Activity/Procedure:
Before the session, draw a ladder with 10 rungs on the board and tape the red bricks beside the ladder to create a brick wall.

Begin by explaining the importance of leisure in recovery and what barriers are.

Divide the group into two teams; a red team and a white team.

Tell them that they are going to see who can overcome the wall of barriers of leisure first by climbing the ladder.

Point system:
Each solution = 1 point.
Every 5 points = 1 ladder rung.

Give the group 3 minutes to make a list of as many barriers as they can think of.

After the end of 3 minutes, have the groups to count how many barriers they came up with.  Have LRT collect the lists from both teams.

Have the team with the most barriers start first. LRT will choose a barrier from the list and read it to the group putting a brick under their column.

They will state as many solutions to that barrier as possible in one minute. LRT will write solutions on the board so that no two solutions can be said twice throughout the session. Each solution counts as 1 point.
               
For every 5 points, they get to move up one ladder rung.
               
Whoever reaches the top of the ladder first wins the objective.

Processing:

• Make known to the group that they each came up with 50 solutions to barriers and 100 as a whole group. Explain that most barriers are perceptions instead of actual barriers. Then follow up with processing questions.
  
• Why is leisure so important in your recovery?
  
• How did this experience help you think about overcoming your barriers to leisure participation?
  
• Can you relate to any of the barriers in your own life?
  
• Did you learn any new ways to overcome your own barriers?
  
• Do you think that you can overcome barriers to leisure once you leave treatment?

Bricks and Ladders
Submitted by Sheri Yzerman of Eastern Respite and Recreation on June 11, 2002

Size: 4-12 people

Equipment: scissors, colored paper preferably red and yellow, marker, tape

Objective: This game is designed to assist clients to identify barriers and assist them to see how they may overcome barriers to their recreation participation.

Description: Precut the red paper into bricks, have clients suggest possible barriers they have experienced,(you can divide the group into two teams) write the barriers on the bricks and stick the brick to the wall, each barrier the teams identify gains them a point. Then for each barrier have clients suggest possible solutions to that barrier. For each solution they get a point and move up the rungs on the ladder (you can write the solutions on the rungs) which is taped on top of the bricks for the visual to overcome. Once a team has reached the top of their ladder the game is over. Tally the points to see who has won.