Welcome to the Banana Splits Resource Center!
Banana Splits is a school-based children's group program for students who have experienced parental divorce or death. Established in 1978 by social worker Liz McGonagle, Banana Splits now supports children, parents, and teachers in schools across the country and around the world.
The purposes are:- to provide a safe place to express feelings
- to normalize feelings through sharing
- to train children in problem solving and coping skills
- to increase self esteem through mutual help
- to support parents and school staff in working with Splits kids
- to increase communication among children, parents, and school
Activities teach children of divorced or deceased parents how to help themselves and each other. By creating a supportive community, Banana Splits aims to counteract the day to day impact of divorce and death on teenagers and young children.
This Resource Center is maintained by Dr. Valerie Raymond to help you establish and run Banana Splits groups in your school. Here you'll find literature and activities to use with children's groups as well as books for professionals and parents and special considerations for running adolescent groups. Face to face training is also available on site. An annual training is available through the NY State Assn. of Independent Schools (NYSAIS.)
Order the Banana Splits Manual through The Center for Learning.