Gathering for family meals has documented benefits for the mental and physical health of children. Meal planning is out of our scope of practice, but we do have tips and resources to help make family dinners feel more meaningful and connected.

Fidget toys can relieve stress, reduce anxiety, and channel excess energy to support productive habits. Fidget toys are particularly beneficial for children (or adults!) with neurodivergent brains (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorders, etc.) because they provide a physical sensory outlet for suppressed energy.

We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite fidget toys that help kids engage in therapy (also great for long commutes, waiting rooms, or quiet time)!

Grief and loss are complex emotions that children (and adults) often struggle to comprehend and express. Picture books can serve as gentle and compassionate guides to help kids navigate the emotions and challenges associated with losing a loved one or going through a hardship. Read on for our recommended children’s books about grief.

Rapport is the foundation of effective therapy because it represents trust, respect, and positive regard. When a therapist thoughtfully establishes this connection, a child is more likely to open up, express emotions, and securely engage in the therapeutic process to facilitate healing and growth.

Modeling dough (like Play-Doh) can be used as a tactile sensory tool for exploring therapeutic concepts with kids. Read on for 5 of our favorite dough activities to help kids relieve stress, exercise emotional literacy, practice coping skills, and resolve conflict.

Every kid is different and we have to tailor behavior management plans to their individual needs and abilities. Read on for practical guidelines for a balanced approach to behavior management.

From a therapeutic perspective, interventions that utilize hand-on learning techniques can lead to increased interest, motivation, engagement, and progress! Here we have collected 10 of our favorite hands-on therapeutic activities to help kids develop emotional literacy, build self-esteem, practice coping skills, manage behavior, and recognize values.

Children with sensory issues may struggle with textures, loud noises, crowds, food preferences, etc. These sensitivities are often seen in children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but they can also appear in otherwise typically developing children. Understanding and supporting a child’s unique sensory needs can help them feel more comfortable and engaged in their environment. Read on for more information and free printable resources.

"Alphabet Feelings" provide a framework for adults to help kids to systematically explore different emotions, scenarios, and coping skills. Print this FREE resource and check out our other recommended ways to exercise social and emotional learning.

One of the best ways to tame childhood anxiety is to demystify it. Explore the feelings, triggers, behaviors, and outcomes of anxiety through targeted story books and conversation, or bibliotherapy. Learn more and explore our recommended children’s books about anxiety.

There are lot’s of ways to “do” early childhood education. Learn about 5 common preschool philosophies: Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, Play-Based, and Forest. The best predictor of social and academic achievement is confidence, so regardless of philosophy-specific approaches to academics, find a program where your kid will be comfortable and supported!

By regularly practicing empathy, children learn to recognize unique perspectives and exercise compassion for themselves and others. Empathy allows kids to navigate difficult situations, support others (and themselves) in need, and recover from setbacks. Empathy is a key component of resilience and a growth mindset—learn how to nurture it through 3 simple activities!

Parenting styles are often categorized into four main types based on the work of psychologist Diana Baumrind: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and disengaged. These styles reflect different approaches to parenting and have varying impacts on a child's development. Read on to learn about the different styles and print our free Parenting Styles Infographic.

Oobleck is a fun and easy demonstration of a non-Newtonian fluid. Non-Newtonian fluids are kind of like us—their behavior is variable depending on stress! This hands-on sensorial experiment can help kids understand that stress (anxiety, frustration, disappointment, failure, anger) can change our behavior.

Read on to learn how to make Oobleck and how to talk to kids about transformative nature.

Emotional literacy is an important piece of the holistic development of children. By deliberately modeling and exploring emotional literacy, we prepare kids to flourish through resiliency, empathy, and connection.

Effective communication during adolescence builds mutual trust, understanding, and respect. This kind of communication allows parents to better recognize cues and attend to the needs of their teenager. Learn more about parent-teen communication and checkout our free conversation starters for teens!

Both positive and negative reinforcement can be effective ways to shape and encourage favorable behavior, but understanding how to use reinforcement to support healthy growth and development is key! Read on to learn about what reinforcement is, common misconceptions about reinforcement, and how to use reinforcement at home or in the classroom!

Quiet Coping Skills are subtle but effective ways to privately regulate emotions without attracting scrutiny from others. These techniques aim to interrupt overwhelming feelings by focusing on specific physical tasks and simple mantras.

A perfectionist aims for the ideal version of a pursuit and has disproportionate feelings of disappointment if they fail to reach their goal. Perfectionism can have many roots, but it is generally tied to a person’s perception of their self-worth.

Play therapy encourages imagination, self-expression, and exploration through specially selected toys and materials. It offers a transformative pathway for children to explore their emotions, navigate challenges, and find healing through the power of play.

Guided by Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) outcomes, our free writing prompts exercise written communication and promote the development of introspection, self-confidence, creativity, problem solving, and emotional regulation.

Cooperative games help kids learn the significance of collaboration, integrity, and respect. Through shared objectives and collective problem-solving, kids build interpersonal skills while exercising ethical conduct and resilience. Read on for tips on how to foster positive sportsmanship through a social-emotional learning lens.

Reciprocal conversation is an active exchange of thoughts, ideas, curiosity, and attention. It’s a valuable skill and we can help cultivate it from a young age through engaged, thoughtful conversation.

Mindfulness practice offers a guided pathway for children (and adults!) to develop a sense of calm, self-awareness, and emotional regulation. Mindfulness is a holistic life skill that promotes mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Read on to learn about 6 mindfulness techniques for kids!

Art therapy empowers children to develop coping skills, build self-esteem, and find healing by using creativity as a means to communicate thoughts and emotions that words alone cannot express. Explore our art therapy prompts, ideas, and activities, and check out our recommended materials for art therapy with kids!

Play contributes to the physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being of children. It enhances motor skills, stimulates creativity, and cultivates social intelligence through interactions with peers. Play also serves as a natural learning platform, helping kids understand the world around them. Learn about five kinds of productive play and explore toys that support each kind.

Resilience is a dynamic skill set that empowers kids to adapt, learn, and thrive through life’s journey. By nurturing a growth mindset, parents, educators, clinicians, and caregivers can support self-efficacy, problem-solving skills, and optimism in kids so that they can grow and persevere through setbacks.

In times of dysregulation, our breath can center us. Intentional breathing is a holistic life skill that promotes mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Read more to learn about different breathing techniques that are great for kids and adults!

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping is a gentle, evidence-based method that combines acupressure with positive affirmations to alleviate stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges. Read more about how it works, what it does, and how to do it!

Explore our simple breakdown of ADHD. By creating an atmosphere that embraces diversity and accommodates different learning styles, we empower children with ADHD to thrive!