Spaceship Check In
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This worksheet uses a spaceship theme where children color different sections of the rocket to represent their feelings about various life areas (self, family, today, friends, home, school, playground, chores). The systematic approach to different life areas helps identify specific domains that may need attention.
Additional Guiding Questions
"I notice you colored [area] as [color]. Can you tell me more about that?"
"Which part of your spaceship feels the heaviest right now? The lightest?"
"If you could change one area from red/orange to green/yellow, which would you pick and what would need to happen?"
"Are there any areas that surprise you with their color?"
"When was the last time your whole spaceship was yellow or green?"
"What does your spaceship need to fly smoothly this week?"
Benefits
Pattern identification: Look for areas consistently rated low, which may indicate specific intervention targets
Contextual awareness: Helps children recognize that feelings aren't "all bad" or "all good" but vary by situation
Baseline establishment: Can be used weekly to track emotional trends over time
Concrete communication: The visual removes the pressure of "talking about feelings" directly
Accompanying Activities
Spaceship Building: Use craft materials to create your own spaceship, decorating each section with the appropriate colors
Story Building: Have kiddos create a story about their spaceship. Who’s riding in it? Where do they go? What Happens?
Fuel Check: Discuss what "fuel" (coping strategies, support, activities) each area needs to improve
Blast-off Goals: Set one small goal to move one area from a lower color to a higher one by the next session
Additional Considerations
Use weekly for consistency and pattern tracking
Consider creating a "spaceship log" to document progress over time
For younger children, simplify to 3-4 life areas
For older children/teens, allow them to add their own life areas
Normalize that red/orange areas are expected and okay—it's about awareness, not perfection
