Peg Dolls and Block Dolls

I spend a lot of time on Pinterest pinning and re-pinning play therapy related photos to my boards. I see a lot of pins for peg dolls. I am really drawn to them as I feel they would be a good addition to a doll house or to sandtray miniatures as ready-made doll families can often be expensive to purchase.

I'm a fairly creative person but drawing and painting are not two of my talents. So even though I had purchased some plain wooden peg dolls several months ago I had not taken the time to try and turn them into a doll family until this week.

Here are the results of my effort. The tallest of these is just a little over two inches and the smallest is one and half inches tall. I didn't have any acrylic paint so I used Sharpie's. 

I'm anxious to create more doll families and add them to my portable play therapy kit. I'll be providing individual and group play therapy at an elementary school one day a week during the 2012-2013 school year so I am anticipating needing several doll families. Since they're small they'll be easy to tote.

After I finished making this peg doll family I decided to try making another people using some extra wooden blocks I had in my play therapy storage closet. These are a little over two inches tall. You could even draw on both sides of the block. Perhaps a happy person on one side and the person on the other side could express another feeling.

I think I'll be making more of these little doll people. I may even have my child clients create some for me as well.

Muffin Tin Feelings Toss

Stop by the dollar store and pick up a muffin tin. Add feelings faces with a permanent marker. Child tosses a weighted ball or coin into one of the cups, identifies the feelings and shares a time they may have experienced it.

Using the Game Trouble as a Therapeutic Tool

I like to take traditional games and add a therapeutic twist to them. This video features my adaptation of this game as originally developed by Liana Lowenstein.

Dress up Clothes and Accessories are Important in the Play Room

Children love dressing up in costumes and accessories. Whether it's items that represent real life or items that are more fantasy in nature, costumes and accessories are another way for children to express their feelings and desires in the play therapy room.

Multi-Cultural Considerations in Play Therapy

As our society becomes more diverse it’s important for play therapists to provide toys and play materials that are culturally relevant to the populations we work with.

Introduce Yourself to Clients via Video Tour

Honored to be a guest blogger this week for Tamara Suttle at Private Practice From the Inside Out. My topic is using videos to market your practice.

Break the Ice