Inspiration Stones

Make your own inspiration stones to use in sandtrays.

Play Freeze Bowl to Encourage Impulse Control

Anger Sponge

Grab a sponge and an eye dropper you have a play therapy technique to help children deal with their anger.

Grab some ping pong balls, a permanent marker, a bowl of water and a slotted spoon or tongs to make Floating Feelings.

Toss away your anxieties with this paper airplane.

 

Thumbprint Feelings Book

All you need is a stamp pad, some paper and a marker and you can create a Thumbprint Feelings Book.

 

Let's Make Play-dough!

Play-dough is easy and inexpensive to make and it lasts longer than commercial products.

  

Let's Make Feelings Dice!

I found this blank dice pattern at Sparkle Box. 

 I had these stampers from Melissa and Doug.

 

I stamped six different expressions onto the dice pattern that I printed on card stock.

I cut it out, folded it and taped it together using double-sided tape.

 A child rolls the dice and the emotion that lands on top is identified. The child also shares a time when they experienced that feeling.

Using the Game "Don't Break the Ice" as a Play Therapy Tool

The more tools you have in your play therapy tool box the more likely you will be to select an activity that meets the needs of a specific child.

  

The book, Techniques-Techniques-Techniques: Play-Based Activities for Children, Adolescents & Families by Sueann Kenney-Noziska features a tool for assessment and engagement that I use often in my practice. It's called, "Ice Breaker" and it utilizes the Hasbro game, Don't Break the Ice.  

The basic premise of the game is that colored stickers are placed on the underside of the game ice cubes with each color corresponding to one of six categories. As players knock ice cubes out of the game, they shared something about themselves based on the color of the the sticker. You can read specific details of how to make and use the game on the Infinity Publishing web site. 

I've made some minor adaptations to the game to fit the specific needs of my clients. While playing this game a child's defenses are down and they're more likely to communicate their thoughts and feelings. 


This is an easy and affordable technique to create and it's adaptable to the population you work with. The only challenge to this game is actually setting the game up and putting the ice cubes into position. Many young children find this difficult so I use that as an opportunity to discuss frustration tolerance.

If you use this technique I'd enjoy hearing your comments on how variations of this game and how you find it helpful in regards to assessment and engagement strategies.

Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Attend the December 10 Training, "Fun in the Sand: The Healing Power of Sandtray Play Therapy."

10. Network with other therapists
9.   Experience your own sandtray
8.   Earn APT CE hours 7.   You’ll leave with a gift bag
6.   Door prizes during breaks
5.   One therapist will win a free training in 2012
4.   Sandtray miniatures will be for sale
3.   It’s an interactive training
2.   Tammi Van Hollander is an excellent presenter
1.   You’ll have FUN!

 

REGISTER NOW!

 

A Puppet Stage Made From a Tri-Fold Display Board and a Puppet Storage Solution

Here's an easy and inexpensive way to make a puppet stage.

It can be challenging to store puppets. I found a way to solve that problem.

Using Jenga as a Play Therapy Tool

The game of Jenga can be adapted for use in play therapy. This video clip describes several some therapeutic variations of this game.