15 Ways How to Spice Up Your Counseling

I love using pipe cleaners as part of my counseling program. Most students haven’t had the chance to play with pipe cleaners before, the pipe cleaners captivate and engage them. Pipe cleaners are a cheap and easy tool that you can use to enhance your counseling program in numerous ways.

Here are 15 creative ways that you can use pipe cleaners in your counseling program.

1. Pipe Cleaner People

Twist the pipe cleaners into the shapes of people. Have students make a pipe cleaner person that represents each person in their family or each person who lives in their house. Students can then use the pipe cleaner people to help assist them in telling the story of their family.

2. Worry Dolls

Turn your pipe cleaner people into worry dolls by wrapping them in yarn or embroidery thread. The yarn adds extra durability to your pipe cleaner people, making them last longer.

3. Glasses  to “See” Options More Clearly

Weave together three or four pipe cleaners to create a pair of glasses fitted to your student’s face. These pipe cleaner glasses help students to calm down and “see” their options more clearly.

4. Deep Breathing (just add beads)

Create a deep breathing tool by adding a bead to your pipe cleaner. String the bead onto the pipe cleaner. Then, twist the ends of the pipe cleaner blocking the bead from falling off. Students can slide the bead to one side of the pipe cleaner as they inhale, and slide it back as they exhale.

5. Icebreakers/Team Builders Activity

Challenge students to mold their pipe cleaners into different types of animals as an icebreaker for your small groups or guidance lessons. Give students pipe cleaners and have them come up with random animals they can create. Sit back and watch as students work to create a fun creature.

Have students work in teams to create their random animals for an interesting twist on the activity.

6. Pipe Cleaner Bracelets

Weaving bracelets out of pipe cleaners can be a great closing activity for a lesson or small group. Braid three pipe cleaners together to create a beautiful multicolored bracelet. If you want to save a bit of pipe cleaner, twist two pipe cleaners together instead of braiding three.

7. Drumsticks

Have students try to play the drums using pipe cleaners. See who can come up with the catchiest beat!

8. Bubble Wands

Did your bubble wand get lost or broken? Fear not! Pipe cleaners can save your day. By twisting a small circle or heart at the top of the pipe cleaner, you can create a bubble wand. You can add beads to the bottom part to make your wand more stable.

9. Flexible Thinking vs. Rigid Thinking

A brilliant idea that was shared with me was to use pipe cleaners as a visual representation of flexible thinking. They compared the pipe cleaner to a toothpick to show the difference between flexible and rigid thinking. Such a great idea to help little ones to visualize this concept.

10. Calming Alphabet Pipe Cleaner Letters

Create each letter of the alphabet (one at a time) out of pipe cleaners. Think of a calming strategy that starts with each letter. For example, create the letter A out of pipe cleaners. Think of a calming strategy that starts with the letter A, such as “ask for time alone.” Move onto the letter B with the calming strategy of breathing. Repeat for each letter of the alphabet.

11. Calming Rings

Create a ring that students can wear that doubles as a fidget tool. Students can subtly roll the pipe cleaner ring up and down their finger, calming themselves without bothering others.

12. Pipe Cleaner Fidgits

Easily create a fidget toy by handing a pipe cleaner to a small child. They will bend, twist, and mold it into something beautiful.  

13. Flower Affirmations

Twist into the shape of flowers. Use two different colors to really make the flowers pop! Have students assign a positive affirmation to each of the petals.

14. DIY Ring Toss

You will need an empty paper towel roll for this one. Mold the pipe cleaners into the shape of a circle to form rings you will toss at the empty paper towel roll.

Place the paper towel roll upright in the middle of the floor. Aiming at the paper towel roll, toss your rings one-by-one. Whoever gets the most rings around the paper towel roll wins.

15. Name Game

Create your name by twisting together as few pieces as possible. Whoever can spell their name using the fewest pipe cleaners wins.

If all else fails, you can always just dump out a bunch in front of a student and see what their mind creates.

I order my pipe cleaners from Amazon, but you can easily find them in the craft section of any dollar store.

How do you use these in your counseling program? Let me know in the comments below!

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