Timeslips is an alternative method to story telling. Mr. Blake Wilson set up this project for Timber Creek’s theatre production class and they traveled to the Riverside Mental Health Facility.
The class then broke into groups and were assigned three to four residents per group to work with. Once they were set up with groups of residents, they would display an image. Sometimes it would be two kids laughing, sometimes it would be an old man from the military, etc. It didn’t really matter what the picture was, but usually they would attempt to pick one that evoked some kind of emotion.
After they gave each of the residents in their group a copy of the picture, they would ask them questions regarding it. Such as, “what do you think her name is?” or, “where do you think they are?” The residents would then answer the questions with absolutely any answer they wanted or could think of. After they got their answer, they would copy it down on a board in front of them. They did this several times, over and over again, until they had a story to tell about the presented picture. It was an amazing experience for the classmates, being able to help and work with the residents.
Timeslips is also extremely advantageous and healthy for the residents, as it boosts their creativity and mental activity.
Watch this video with more details from organizers and participants about the experience: