Friendship Group and Magic

February 9, 2022 BY Renee Limon

Do you have a Friendship Group? I think the world would be a better place if everyone had one. Our Friendship Group is a place where six- to seven-year-old kids meet once a week and make magic.

Sometimes the magic looks like taking turns, perspective-taking, and following directions. And sometimes it looks like Harry Potter-style magic!

OT grad student Liz, OT Christina and SLP Laura holding wands and wearing Harry Potter glasses and Hogwarts' scarves during potions class at The Hello Clinic.

At a recent gathering of the group, Liz, Christina, and Laura donned Harry Potter glasses, Hogwarts’ scarves and with wands in hand, gathered their group of young wizards and made magical potions. Liz, the Potions Master (who is also an Occupational Therapy graduate student from Pacific University who is working with Christina this term) helped plan the therapeutic activities of the potions class.

Child mixing potion ingredients in The Hello Clinic's art room.

Liz made sure everyone’s wands and cauldrons were in good working order and procured the necessary ingredients, including gillyweed, mandrake root, unicorn hairs, etc.

Closeup of adding colorful ingredients to potion making activity at The Hello Clinic.

Watching color swirl and mix in always adds to the magic!

OT Christina and young wizard showing off their potion make in Friendship Group at The Hello Clinic.

Our wizards had so much fun making potions, and it was magical when the potion expanded and flowed over the sides of the cup.

Interested in learning more about therapy groups? Groups help reinforce goals that kids have learned in individual therapy. Groups also provide an opportunity to work on a mix of speech and occupational therapy goals and give our grad students a chance to be creative, plan activities and make play-based group therapy extra fun.