Dollhouses provide a symbolic space where children can examine their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Through the manipulation of figures and settings, children can externalize and make sense of their internal world. This type of play facilitates communication when verbal expression is challenging or limited.

Figures provide an opportunity for role-play and creative problem solving within the safe and familiar comfort of play.

Animal families are a way for children to demonstrate their understanding of family and peer dynamics. Animals are familiar but separate from us, so they can represent people in our world from a safe distance.

Human figures provide a tangible medium for expressing concerns, fears, and desires. Through the act of nurturing, role-playing, and storytelling, children can actualize and process complex emotions, fostering a deeper understanding of themselves and their relationships.

Emergency vehicle toys allow children to navigate and process challenging emotions related to crisis and safety. These representations of ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars help kids to explore themes of rescue, protection, vulnerability, and control.

A representation of a community can be a symbolic microcosm where children can navigate and make sense of their world. The town rug provides a structured yet flexible platform for play, and encourages a sense of community, problem-solving, and the development of social skills.

Blowing out candles is a playful way for children to practice intentional breaths that they can employ when feeling dysregulated or upset. Take mindfulness practice one step further and encourage kids to think of something they are grateful for, or “a wish come true,” as they blow out each candle.

Pair this activity with our Breathing Techniques infographic.

Replicas of familiar foods allow children to engage with and explore their relationship with nourishment, family dynamics, and personal preferences.

Check out our Family Dinner Guide to learn about the documented benefits of a shared meal!

Play sets often represent various life scenarios and enable kids to engage in role-playing and storytelling.

Stuffed animals offer children an outlet for expressing and processing emotions. Use this puppy-in-a-box to help a child understand empathy and resilience.

“How does the puppy act when she’s scared? How could you help her feel safe? How does the puppy act when she’s excited? How do you play with her?”

A play medical kit provides an opportunity for children to explore and express their feelings surrounding health, illness, and care. This toy allows children to play out scenarios related to physical and emotional well-being, and offers therapists (and parents) valuable insights into their concerns and coping mechanisms.

This form of symbolic play not only helps demystify medical experiences, but also encourages the development of empathy, communication skills, and a sense of control.

Puppet characters offer a non-threatening and engaging medium for children to express themselves. Use hand puppets to navigate sensitive topics, encourage empathy, and gain valuable insights into a child's inner world.

Colored pane blocks allow children to experiment with combining colors while stacking and balancing forms.

We love to use these blocks to talk about feelings through colors! “When we mix yellow and blue we get a new color—green! When we mix nervous and hopeful we get a new feeling—excited!”

Playing with Legos allows children to develop fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, and problem solving ability while exploring principles of engineering. The modular nature of Legos encourages versatility, allowing kids to transform their ideas into tangible structures.

Design blocks allow kids to follow a pattern or create their own design. These blocks combine the benefits of mindfulness practice with the fulfillment of problem-solving. Open-ended puzzles promote focus, emotional regulation, and self-awareness.

These blocks challenge children to stack and arrange in a way that hones fine motor skills, focus, and coordination. As kids navigate the task of creating stable structures, they learn valuable lessons about resilience, problem-solving, and the importance of balance.

Beading encourages patience, creativity, and focus as kids select, organize, and assemble pieces. It can also serve as a meditative outlet by providing children with a calming and immersive experience.

We love to use bead patterns to talk about emotional and behavioral patterns!

These colorful tiles offer endless possibilities for creative construction and they empower kids to experiment, problem-solve, and confidently bring their visions to life. This kind of play fosters cognitive development and encourages self-efficacy.

Use color coded feeling prompts for integrated dialogue! “When we grab a yellow tile, let’s talk about a time we felt happy.”

Building blocks offer a simple venue for creative play and cognitive development. The open-ended nature of block play encourages imagination and problem-solving, and prompts kids to experiment with structure and balance.

For added therapeutic value, print our Question Block Tabs and adhere them to the blocks. Answer questions while you build!

Marble runs are a catalyst for creative play, and they encourage children to design new pathways and problem-solve in real-time.

Race the marbles and review concepts of winning and losing! Nurture a growth mindset by encouraging structural alterations! Use metaphor to talk about the importance of strong foundations!

By arranging magnetic pieces to create various facial expressions, children engage in a hands-on, visual exploration of emotions. This playful approach encourages open dialogue about feelings and helps children develop emotional intelligence and articulation.

Through instructional play with community representations, kids develop a sense of empathy, cooperation, and individuality. These skills lay the foundation for positive social interactions! This toy not only encourages kids to sort colors and objects, but it also highlights family and community dynamics.

Story cards encourage dynamic engagement that nurtures social-emotional development. By prompting kids to create and share stories, they learn to navigate complex emotions, build interpersonal skills, and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others.

Incorporating STEM activities into play therapy not only helps children explore and understand the world around them, but also provides an engaging way to process emotions and behaviors.

We love to use simple circuits to talk about cause and effect! Explore the underlying factors that may be influencing a child's behavior, and help them recognize that behaviors are often symptoms of deeper emotional challenges.

These kind of playful challenges are not only entertaining, but they also stimulate logical reasoning, concentration, patience, and creativity. The joy of unlocking a puzzle lays the foundation for lifelong curiosity, perseverance when things don’t come easily, and passion for intellectual exploration.

We highly recommend this Red Riding Hood puzzle that offers fun challenges and promotes a growth mindset for kids and adults!

Through scientific play, children can experiment with cause and effect and learn to better understand the world around them.

We love to use the volcano to talk about feeling eruptions!

“Baking Soda + Vinegar” is kind of like “Tired + Frustrated”—they both lead to an eruption! What other feelings blend together to make something new?

These cards inspire delightful quests and offer a myriad of benefits that go beyond just play—kids develop essential motor skills, enhance their cognitive abilities, and foster a connection with their environment.

Through a blend of playful poses, breathing exercises, and mindfulness techniques, these yoga cards help children enhance their flexibility, strength, and coordination while cultivating a sense of calm concentration.

Yoga is a great way to introduce intentional physical activity into a therapy session!

These conversation cards explore what is means to be a "good citizen" and help kids develop a sense of responsibility, empathy, and community awareness. The exploration of values helps shape character and sets the foundation for a more inclusive and compassionate society.

These cards present real-life scenarios that encourage children to think about and discuss the best ways to respond with kindness, respect, and consideration for others. Whether it’s how to politely ask for something, show gratitude, or handle a disagreement, these cards are designed to spark meaningful conversations and develop prosocial skills.

Games that promote logical sequencing skills enhance problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and decision-making by encouraging kids to recognize patterns and understand the order of operations. As children arrange sequences to achieve goals, they build a foundation for undertaking complex tasks and mathematical reasoning.

These visual conversation cards enable kids to practice inferential thinking by drawing from personal experience and empathetic perspectives. Help kids cultivate communication skills, social literacy, and problem solving abilities through conversation!