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Sensory play provides children an opportunity to explore through the use of their senses of sight, smell, touch, sound and even taste. These fun activities are also a way for the whole family to join in and play together. Encouraging children to participate in sensory play promotes healthy brain development. Sensory play helps children integrate […]
With the approaching holidays, I know parents are looking for gift ideas for their children. We have a saying in the play therapy world that we want to select toys not collect them. Today, I will be providing you with sixteen ideas to gift your children this holiday season to improve their emotional awareness, vocabulary, […]
We all know how easily the holidays can sneak up on us and how quickly this time of year can become stressful instead of serene. During this year of pandemic, we are all feeling a whole new level of stress. Many families are struggling with how to minimize stress and maximize making it special for […]
We have all heard about support and therapy groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or grief survivors. But what about kids, can they benefit from group therapy? And what kinds of groups are available? First, though we should talk about what exactly is group therapy? Group therapy involves a therapist working with a small select group […]
Personality priorities, the most important way our personality strives for belonging. There are four types: comfort, pleasing, control, and superiority. Which one are you and which one are your kids and why does this matter? Let’s start by breaking this down a bit. Personality is defined as the characteristic sets of behaviors, cognitions, and emotional patterns that evolve from […]
Children need to feel like they are important. This is the crucial C of count. What are the ways we can help children to understand the significance they have in our lives and in doing so decrease defiance and increase confidence? Why Kids Need to Know They Matter The crucial C of count. Children low […]
When playing with our children, especially the younger ones, we also want to be teaching. Four areas where you can foster growth in children, through play are engagement, nurture, structure, and challenge. As parents, we want to enjoy the small moments connected with our children. Below are suggestions of quick, short activities to increase those […]
Practicing gratitude important because it helps us slow down, take a mindful pause and be able to sink into the beauty of the present moment. When we begin to be able to really notice the the value of what and who is with us and around us, we are more tuned in and more connected. […]
One of the easiest ways to help children learn about their feelings is reflection. Reflection helps the child understand the emotions they have in their bodies. What exactly is reflecting emotions and how is it done? Reflecting feelings is determining the feelings and emotions in your child’s verbal and body language and stating (or reflecting) those feelings back to them. “You feel frustrated […]
Play is the language of children. You can facilitate communication with your child through weekly scheduled special playtimes. What does that look like and how does it work? Children often do not have the ability to articulate what they are thinking or feeling, so they use play as their words. In play, children express what […]