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Archive for therapy toys

March Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· April 2, 2018 
· No Comments

It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. -Frederick Douglas

Blog

The internet can be a wonderful source of information and learning for young students, but it can also be a scary place for teens, and a difficult place for parents to monitor.  Fortunately, there are tools to help parents and adolescents.  In this blog about teen cyber-safety, we outline some on the problem areas on the internet, as well as the tools to educate young teens on the dangers of the internet and how to stay safe. Read more here!

Articles

A new study from the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at McGill University in Montreal, Canada suggests that autistic children benefit from being bilingual. “In the first study of its kind, scientists show that bilingual children with autism spectrum disorders can switch mental gears more easily than those who can only speak one language.” It’s common that autistic children have difficulty transitioning between tasks, and studies shows that being bilingual improves executive functioning. Researchers set out to find if being bilingual could help executive flexibility in children with ASD. Read full article here.

Video gaming among children and adolescents is a much debated topic. Can a person become addicted to gaming? Nancy Petry, a professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and editor of the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors explains gaming disorder, how to identify it, and how to seek help. While gaming disorder effects a very small number of people, gaming as become a very popular pass-time for all ages of players, and it’s important to be aware of potential problems.  Read full article here.

Studies have shown that adolescents who perform non-fatal self-harm are 26.7 times more likely to commit suicide within the next year. Though self-harm is not always performed with suicidal intent, the risks of repeat self-harm and possibly eventually suicide are related and high.  In this article, Molly Walker of MedPage Today highlights studies and statistics on who is more commonly at risk, and what preventative measures can be taken. Self-harm is never simply a cry for attention and should be taken very seriously. Read full article here. 

 

 

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Categories : Autism, Behavior, Depression, Executive Functioning, Monthly Wrap-Up, Parenting, Wrap Up
Tags : child play therapy toys, child therapy toys, childhood stress, counseling games, family roles, feelings, mental health disorders, Play Therapy, play therapy intervention, teens, therapy toys

December Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· January 3, 2018 
· No Comments

Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity. – Kay Redfield Jamison

Blog

Thanks to Jennifer Taylor for the wonderful play therapy termination activity. Stumped on how to end play therapy with a client on a warm and optimistic note? Try creating a chain on intentions with your exiting clients and let them leave as lasting an impression on your therapy room as you have had on them! Each link is a added as a client leaves therapy and each has it’s own message of positive intention for live post therapy. As time goes on, the chain, and the optimism, grows! What a creative and fun way to provide closure for your client.  Read more here!

Articles

In Perry Klass, M.D.’s article, she explains how exposure therapy can be instrumental in helping children to overcome anxiety. All children can experience worry and fear, but when that fear interferes with the child’s functioning, or inhibits them from learning or growing,  It may be time to seek help from a professional. Dr. Stephen P.H Whiteside of the Mayo Clinic, believes that exposing a child to whatever is causing the anxiety in a controlled and supportive environment will help them to overcome their fear and learn to cope with new fears. Anxiety manifests itself differently in children, even physically. A child can suffer some headaches and stomach pains due to anxiety. Not every child requires intervention for their anxiety, read the full article to know the signs of anxiety disorders and when to get help here.

December is the season of giving, but for some, it becomes the season of buying- Toys. We’re all guilty of wanting to give the young ones in our lives the world, or at least all the toys in the world, but according to the University of Toledo, when it comes to toys for children, less is more. Toddlers and children who have few toys actually play with more focus and creativity, which causes them to develop their imagination earlier, which can help with problem solving later in life. So when play time rolls around, choose quality versus quantity. Read full article here.

Should you let your child believe in Santa? Research in the field of developmental psychology actually cites some benefits to not only letting your child believe in Santa, but encouraging them to question and provide answers to the magic surrounding Santa Clause and all his fantastical feats. When they do discover that Santa is but a beloved Christmas myth, studies have shown that it’s actually the parents who are more upset than the children, who tend to feel part of a savvy community of “knowers,” rather than feeling betrayed or lied to. Another tip: Just because the belief in Santa stops, doesn’t mean the caliber of gifts given has to. If the big presents come from the parents every year, then when your child stops believing in Santa, they wont worry about what that means for Christmas morning festivities. Read full article here.

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Categories : Anxiety, Behavior, Child Development, Feelings, Monthly Wrap-Up, Wrap Up
Tags : anxiety, child development, child play therapy toys, child therapy, therapy toys

September Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· September 27, 2017 
· No Comments
“The activities that are the easiest, cheapest, and most fun to do – such as singing, playing games, reading, storytelling, and just talking and listening – are also the best for child development.” – Jerome Singer (professor, Yale University)

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Wondering what the essential toys for a playroom are? We can help with that! In Jennifer Taylor’s post about playroom essentials, she highlights all of the staple items needed for a complete playroom. From sand tray miniatures to play therapy games, Taylor shows you what you could be missing and why it’s important to include these items in your playroom experience. View her list and links to the perfect playroom here!

Articles

We all want to praise children when they succeed, but according to new international research, how you praise your child could either motivate them to work hard, or motivate them to cheat. According to the study, published in Psychological Science, praising a child for simply being smart could actually cause them to feel pressure to perform up to high expectations, which may cause them to cheat, whereas complimenting a child’s effort will motivate them to work hard, and perform at their full potential. Read the full article here!

“The resilience of an individual depends on drawing resources from many other systems,” said University of Minnesota psychologist Ann S. Masten, PhD, who has studied the subject of child resiliency for 40 years. According to Masten, fostering resiliency in children is accomplished not only by the child’s innate ability to cope and problem-solve, but also by the relationships and support they receive outside of themselves. This article outlines all of the important factors that help a developing child boost resilience, and why you should care. Read the full article here!

Every parent contends with stress. Work stress, family stress, financial stress. It’s important not to let that stress trickle down to your children, says Katie Hurley. In this article she outlines different types of stress, how to identify your triggers, and most importantly, how to practice letting go of those things that are eating you up. When we feel stress, our children see and experience that stress with us, so it’s important to demonstrate coping skills to alleviate those tensions.  Read the full article here!

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Categories : Behavior, Child Development, Communication, Conflict, Feelings, Monthly Wrap-Up, Parenting, Play Therapy, Play Therapy books, Play Therapy Games, Play Therapy Toys, Reader Submissions, Social Issues, Wrap Up
Tags : child therapy toys, childhood stress, feelings, Play Therapy, play therapy dolls, play therapy toys, sand tray miniatures, sand tray therapy, stress, teens, therapeutic games for children, therapeutic games for teens, therapy games, therapy toys

Using Creepy Dolls in the Playroom by Donna M Hammontree, LCSW, RPT-S

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· July 19, 2017 
· 1 Comment

Freddie Krueger.  Chuckie.  Jason.

Parents and children alike ask me, “Why do you have those in here?”  

I respond, “Why do you think I have those in here?”

Gary Yorke, PhD, recommended 1 or more of the play therapy dolls as good resources for the playroom.  I was skeptical but bought 3.  Deciding to assess the use of them for myself, I have determined there are multiple uses for the creepy therapy toys.

To communicate anger

A child may use the doll to let a therapist/school counselor/teacher/parent know he is angry with the adult for any reason by shaking the doll at the adult.

The creepy doll may be thrown across the room or beaten up to express anger at any bad experiences or people.

 

To communicate that a person has scared the child

A child who has been traumatized may ventilate that fear by using 1 or more of the dolls.  Sometimes that fear may come from watching scary movies; in that case, I guide care takers in being more selective in visual experiences.

To express identification with, ventilate about, or gain control over one’s own creepiness

Children on the Autism Spectrum or with physical differences may use the dolls to process how they are treated by peers on the school playground.

To express identification with the oppositional and defiant nature of the dolls

A child who presents with defiance, for whatever reason, may identify with the dolls and act out that oppositional stance.

To gain control of one’s anxieties and unrealistic fears

Some children ask me to hide the dolls as they are afraid of the dolls.  I may do so in a very early session but soon have the child take responsibility for the fear and find a way to cope with the creepy dolls themselves.  They may hide the dolls, lock them up with my play chain, or throw them away in a pretend garbage can.  Sometimes they add guards around the dolls to provide extra security.  Or, we may dress up as a superhero and find the dolls together.  This frequently leads to better coping at home.

To communicate low self-esteem, worthlessness, guilt

Play using the dolls may involve being bad and in trouble.  I work to validate the feelings in the play and then acknowledge the creepy doll’s life experiences, such as mistreated, hurt, surviving difficult times, trying to protect himself.

To express whatever the child needs to vent about

Children will use the dolls or avoid them to communicate thoughts and feelings about situations that I may never fully understand.  Being client-centered and open to their experiences is the key.

 

The professional benefits from an individual and family assessment of the client and knowledge of the child’s experience to fully understand and best respond to the child’s play.  On the other hand, being in the moment with the child and aware of the therapists’ own emotional responses to the client is often enough to further assess, validate, encourage an adaptive response by the child.

“Why do you have those in here?”

Therapist’s response, “Please tell me!”

***

 

Donna is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor in private practice, in Savannah, GA. Visit her website: http://www.donnahammontree.com/

1 Comment
Categories : Anger, Anxiety, Autism, Behavior, Bullying, Child Development, Communication, Feelings
Tags : child play therapy toys, child therapy toys, play therapy dolls, play therapy toys, therapy toys

May Play Therapy Wrap-Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· June 9, 2017 
· No Comments

“Necessity may be the mother of invention, but play is certainly the father.”

–  Roger von Oech (President, Creative Think)

 

Blog

Thanks to Amy Flaherty for helping us get the sand toys organized. Shelf by shelf she reshaped the room that helps her client’s shape their sandtrays! If you need to organize your playroom and you need ideas for how, this is the post for you! Click here to read more!

Stacy Garcia re-invented the classic board game Sorry! and made it a great fit for her play therapy practice. Stacy believes that any game can be implemented as an effective tool for intervention and to help her clients learn.  Read about how she uses Sorry! here.

Articles

The Stellenbosch University of South Africa has done a study that shows that the emotional and behavioral health of teens with PTSD can be dramatically improved with therapy intervention. The treatment consisted of prolonged exposure therapy or supportive counselling in up to 14 sessions of 60 to 90 minutes each. The children who received the individual therapy maintained the benefits of the counseling longer then those who received group therapy session. For more information click here.

A new medication is being tested for autistic children that is thought to be helpful in children up to 14 years old. Tests so far on the drug have an effect that “restarts a more normal pattern of neurological development.” More testing is needed on the drug before it will be approved and available to the public. For more information click here.

While medication can be helpful to children with ADHD, a new study has shown that a more effective treatment may include Neurofeedback (NF), a form of behavioral therapy which aims to build skills in cortical self-regulation, in addition to medication. There are still more studies needed for NF training and its effect on children with ADHD. For more information click here.

 

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Categories : ADHD, Asperger's, Autism, Behavior, Child Development, Monthly Wrap-Up, Wrap Up
Tags : development, feelings, mental health disorders, Play Therapy, play therapy intervention, therapy intervention, therapy toys

Should Your Playroom Include Aggressive Toys Like Play Guns? by Jennifer Taylor, LCSW, RPT

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· June 6, 2017 
· No Comments

Play therapists widely regard the use of aggressive toys, including toys guns, as an essential element to the playroom. However, many parents are hesitant to allow their children to play with toy guns. Nearly all schools have banned the use of toys guns (or even pretend shooting) completely.

Over the years, I have had some toy guns (not realistic looking ones, though) and other times I have taken them out.  As a therapist, the use of toys guns is not essential, but the use of aggressive toys, is vital.

What is an Aggressive Toy?

Aggressive toys are anything that a child can use to get out pent up anger or hostility.  These toys can be used to role play fights or battles, good guy/bad guy situation, or other trauma re-enactments.

 

Examples of aggressive toys include:

  • Non-realistic toy guns

  • Rubber knives

  • Foam swords

  • “Mean” animals like sharks, dinosaurs, alligators, lions, etc.

  • Toy soldiers (two different colors)

  • Handcuffs

  • Rope (I use a jump rope with the handles removed)

  • Bop Bag

What is an Aggressive-Release Toy?

Aggressive-Release Toys are toys that are okay to destroy or break in some way. These toys help redirect actual aggression into a more acceptable alternative.

Examples of aggressive-release toys include:

  • Egg cartons (can be crushed)
  • Bubble wrap (can be popped)
  • Paper (can be ripped up)
  • Popsicle sticks (can be snapped or jabbed into clay)
  • Wet paper towels (can be thrown against wall outside or on easel)
  • Clay or Play-doh (can be pounded)

Why Are Aggressive Toys Useful In Therapy?

Expressing Anger

Children need a safe opportunity to express feelings of anger.  In the play therapy environment, children can use aggressive toys to play out things that are happening with people in their lives. BUT…when it is done with an animal instead of a doll person, it feels safer to the child.  It is the same feeling/movements/thoughts but it doesn’t feel as real.

Relieving Physical Tension

Also, when using aggressive release toys, children get to move their bodies in a way that helps relieve the physical tension that anger brings.  Pounding clay, stomping egg cartons, or swinging foam swords helps move the body in ways that release tension and the accompanying noise that the movement makes also helps reduce tension.

Learning Boundaries

Finally, aggressive play helps teach children boundaries.  In rough/aggressive play, children learn how hard to swing without actually hurting the therapist, or how fast to move without falling down.  They learn how to “take a break” if someone needs to rest and how to start back up again.  I have witnessed siblings learn how to set rules for “fair fights” using foam swords and how to negotiate cheating.

Sword Fighting Aggressive Play

My Kids Sword Fighting

Do Aggressive Toys Create Aggressive Children?

It depends on what research you read.  A few studies have shown that aggression may increase temporarily after playing with aggressive toys.  This DOES seem to be more true when you are talking about playing violent video games (different story there). But, long-term, there is no reliable evidence that toy guns create more aggressive kids.

In fact, the opposite holds more true.  If a child has an appropriate place to express and display anger, then they are less likely to use anger with their peers (or parents).  Telling children, “Don’t get mad” is not nearly as helpful as teaching them what to do when they are mad to diffuse it.  The use of aggressive release toys helps teach children what to do with their angry in a way that will not get them in trouble.

Children Will Find Creative Ways To Express Aggression

In fact, many therapists find that children will turn neutral toys like blocks or their fingers into guns, knives, or bombs in order to communicate their needs with whatever is available.  The expression often goes:

If a child needs a gun to represent something going on in their life, they will find something and turn it into a gun (either in shape or with the noises that they make) to communicate that need.”

What To Do If You Are Uncomfortable With Toy Guns?

  1. Set limits.  It might be that toy guns are only for target practice. “Guns are not for shooting at people.”  When I have any toy guns in my office, I NEVER shoot at children.  I have let them shoot at me, but I would not shoot back at them.  If they tell me to shoot them, I would act out thinking about it but being so worried that they would die or I would go to jail or some other bad  outcome.  A great play therapist, Lisa Dion, writes more about how to play aggressively with children in her book, Integrating Extremes: Aggression and Death in the Playroom. 
  2. Set different limits for different games.  You might say that you can not shoot at me in general, but then we make a specific limit for Nerf or laser style games where we have defined a goal or specific rules. These games typically have teams, time limits, and rules of engagement.  You discuss them in advance and determine that the shooting ends when the game ends.
  3. Make sure your guns look very fake.  Avoid anything that is at all realistic.  Guns that are bright colors, light up, or make silly noises all classify as fake guns.  Guns that shoot foam balls.
  4. Use the alternative aggressive toys.  If you are still not comfortable with toy guns, use the alternatives.  Foam swords are generally more fun than toy guns anyway.

A Side Note About Gun Safety:

Regardless of your use of toy guns, there is never a bad time to talk with children about what to do if they find a gun while playing.  Just recently, there was an incident here in Memphis where a child picked up a gun and shot his brother accidentally.

There are many factors in that case that have nothing to do with aggressive play or aggressive toys. And yet, the underlying fear is that if we let our children play with aggressive toys, things like this will happen.  So…

  1. Talk about actual gun safety.  Talk with your children about what to do if they ever encountered a gun outside of the playroom and what to do and not do about it.  You can discuss that they should never pick up a gun outside of the playroom and that they should notify an adult right away.
  2. Require gun safety from adults.  It’s okay to ask the parents of your child’s friends if they own any weapons and how/where they have them stored.  Same goes for grandparents or other relatives. Don’t just assume that they are responsible gun owners, make them prove it.  Everyone that I know that has any weapons in their home can easily tell me how they are keeping them safe.

Final Thoughts:

Recently, I polled a group of play therapists and they overwhelmingly reported that they not only had toy guns in their offices, but that they found them to be an essential component of a play therapy space. However, those that did not have toy guns felt that the same benefits were achieved through the use of other aggressive release toys (like ropes, knives and swords) without the complications.

PS.

Moreover, representing reality in the playroom is important.  The truth is that many children have parents that work with weapons (law enforcement and military) and others have been exposed to very traumatic events involving drug raids, shootings, or other community violence.

To deny access to those items or experiences seems to somehow convey that those feelings, thoughts or experiences are shameful, wrong, or not important.  The playroom is a place to overcome those feelings and any toys that facilitate that process are okay in my office.

Do you allow your children to play with toy guns?

***

Thanks to Jennifer Taylor for this great post!

To check out Jennifer’s website, click here!

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Categories : Anger, Behavior, Bullying, Communication, Conflict, Intervention Ideas, Play Therapy, Reader Submissions
Tags : aggression, anger, bop bags, development, feelings, Play Therapy, play therapy intervention, therapy toys

My Favorite “Non-Therapeutic” Games… Sorry! by Stacy L. Garcia, MA, LPC, NCC

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· May 31, 2017 
· 1 Comment

I’ve told you in my last two posts about how much I love using games in therapy, especially with children and adolescents. I’ve already explored how I use the games Jenga and Find It in therapy sessions, thus using otherwise “non-therapeutic” games and turning them into effective therapeutic interventions that I can use for multiple purposes. Like Jenga and Find It, I use numerous other “non-therapeutic” and therapeutic games to teach various topics and skills to my clients. If you’re new to reading this blog, the difference between “therapeutic” and “non-therapeutic” games is nothing more than what their intent and purpose were when they were created. “Non-therapeutic” games are those that you can find at your local department store in the game aisle, such as UNO and Scrabble. In my own experience, I have found that ANY game can be made therapeutic, just like any game can also be made educational. Today’s game is a popular classic among board games: Sorry! I use the game Sorry! to teach children to take responsibility for their behaviors and actions, as well as to demonstrate through role play how and when to apologize.

How to Play Sorry!

To start the game of Sorry!, each player chooses a pawn color and places his four pawns on the matching colored START circle. The included pack of game cards are shuffled and placed face down on the space marked “PLACE PACK” in the center of the game board. Then game play begins around the board. A player draws the top card from the pack and places it face up onto the “DISCARD” space on the board. He follows the card’s directions, moving his pawn a number of spaces. When a move ends on a square already occupied by an opponent, the opponent’s pawn is bumped back to his START.

Regardless of whether in his favor or not, a player must make a move with one of his pawns as directed by the card he has drawn. The player who first moves all four of his pieces from his START to his HOME of the same color wins the game. The frustration Sorry! usually elicits in its players is often attributed to the cards’ directions not being in one’s favor, as well as being bumped back to his START space, either as a result of his opponent or because he has drawn a Sorry! card forcing him to land in an unfavorable position.

How to Make Sorry! Therapeutic

Enter Therapeutic So Sorry! When playing the game in therapy, I add So Sorry! cards. Each time a pawn is bumped back to its START circle, the opponent who caused the bump back must draw a So Sorry! card. These are cards with questions and role play tasks in which the player has to either discuss or role play his taking responsibility for pretend behaviors and actions in which he should be “so sorry.” The set of cards also includes questions about the client’s own behaviors/actions and prompts them to explore whether he needs to take responsibility for said actions. To use the “So Sorry!” cards that I have, you can click here. Game play resumes as normal after the So Sorry! task has been completed.

Therapeutic So Sorry! is a lot of fun to play, and I’ve found it especially helpful when working with children who have difficulty taking responsibility for their actions and those with behavior and/or impulsivity disorders. It can also be used to reinforce appropriate social skills to use when having to take responsibility for one’s behavior. Best of all, the children I work with love playing the game just as much as I do!

***

Stacy Garcia, MA, LPC, NCC

“Following attainment of a B.S. in Psychology in 2001, I earned my M.A. in Counseling from West Virginia University in 2004. I returned later to obtain certification in School Counseling.

I have extensive experience in working with children and adolescents, though I also see adults. I also specialize in treatment of trauma-related issues and concerns (including PTSD), behavior disorders (such as Oppositional Behavior Disorder), and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). I am skilled at working with parents and families who are experiencing issues at home, focusing on each individual’s strengths and needs while they rebuild the family unit.”

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Categories : Child Development, Communication, Intervention Ideas, Play Therapy, Play Therapy Games, Reader Submissions
Tags : board games, games, Play Therapy, play therapy intervention, therapy toys

10 Categories for Sorting Sandtray Shelves: How, What and Why by Amy Flaherty, LPE-I

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· May 19, 2017 
· No Comments

 

Confession time: I’m an addict.

What kind of addict you ask…

..the best kind: the sandtray miniature kind!!

I’m betting that if you are reading this super nuanced post about the details of doing sandtray therapy you should belong to a miniature meeting somewhere too, am I right??

Okay, so let’s get to it…

Last week I moved into a new, KA office where I have a spacious training room as well as a play therapy space.

I’m not gonna lie, moving sucked a big one, but one bright spot appeared in the whole process….

I got to rearrange and set up my miniatures just as I wanted them on brand new shelves!!

 

All My Pretties…

Since I’ve been doing sandtray therapy trainings for several years now (sign up here to grab your spot at my next training), many folks have asked the best way to arrange miniatures on shelves.

As an aside, don’t worry for you traveling, crammed-for-space-therapists- my next blog post will be just for you so be on the look out!

Now, back to the fun stuff.

I’m going to show you how I arrange my miniatures and tell you my logic behind my placements. Plus, you’ll get to see most of my miniatures up close and personal, which I can bet will give you some miniature envy (there’s no such thing as ‘enough’ miniatures!)

Okay! Roll up your sleeves and let’s dig in shall we?

1. Animals

To start, you can see my animal shelves below. I place my animals closest to the bottom because they are most used my younger kiddos.  Young kids are most likely to use animals rather than people so putting them on the bottom just makes practical sense.

Groupings of domesticated animals- try to put the horses and other types of animals together. Kids will often make families out of these. Horses get used a LOT.

Groupings with zoo/wild animals

Birds/Cats/Dogs My cat and dog miniatures are also used all the time. You can almost never have enough of these.

Scary spiders go at the bottom. These are a MUST for working with little boys.

2. Fantasy Figures

When I moved offices, I knew I had to dedicate more shelves to fantasy miniatures.  These are also a must-have for your sandtray collection because they get used with all ages.  Adults usually place them as metaphors or hobbies, but kids will tell lots of stories with the fantasy figures.

Don’t worry- by placing an Elsa miniature there you aren’t guaranteed to hear the whole plot of Frozen.  (Read this post to find out why).

Bottom to top shelves with fantasy figures. Nab these any time you see them!

Dragon shelf. Used for all ages but again little boys gravitate towards this shelf. Multiple-headed dragons are the best.

3. Transportation

If you work with kids AT ALL, you will likely have a difficult time keeping this shelf neat and tidy. Little boys typically LOVE to smash cars into each other.  Remember, even if they can’t tell you what is happening in the tray, it doesn’t mean that nothing is happening. The brain never misses a chance to integrate.

So many cars they are spilling out of the shelves

4.  People

When working with school age clients and older, having a variety of people is extremely helpful.  Try to collect as many different ages, skin colors, and diverse abilities as possible.

As you can see, I separated mine into gender and then had a shelf for groupings of people.  I also made a separate placement just for what I think of as “milestone markers,” such as birth, weddings, graduation.  Place these near the bottom so your kids can access people miniatures as needed.

My shelf o’ men. Not sure why I have more men than women? Interesting though..

Children shelf on the bottom (babies are grouped) and then the women shelf above it

Family shelf. Can you spot my favorite??

5.  Fences

I have an entire shelf devoted just to fences.  You really can never have too many fences.  Kids will often line the tray with fences and have fences inside of fences.  A variety of size and shapes are helpful. To find out more about fences in the tray, click here.

Fences on the top and treasure box/treasure shelf below

6. Treasure/Rocks

Just as fences get used in trays for all ages, so do treasure chests, treasures, and rocks.  I try to place these near the middle on my shelves.

Don’t worry about sorting all of your rocks because the kids will choose what they need anyway (and you will drive your OCD self INSANE if you make this a priority.)

 

7. Religion/Death shelves

Seems like an odd pairing at first huh? But, if you think about it, religion plays a key role in how we see death, so it makes sense to have these near each other.

Clients of all ages will use these- adults again, perhaps more metaphorically but these two shelves do get a lot of use in my play room.

In case you can’t see, they are in the middle shelves.

Death and religion shelves

 8. Miscellaneous

But what about all that stuff that just doesn’t have a category??

Round those up and put them on shelves you classify as “miscellaneous.”  Adults LOVE these shelves.  So many abstract thoughts and stories come from random miniatures.

Always keep an eye out at yard sales and flea markets for one-of-a-kind miniatures to fill these shelves. Often those miniatures where I have NO CLUE how they could be used end up being the most popular ones!

Some of my favorite shelves. Also near the middle

More miniature eye candy..

9.  Houses/Bridges

I place my houses at the top because these rarely get used by little ones, but adults love to populate their trays with houses.  A variety of houses is helpful for the client to find one that is “just right.”

Bridges are often used by adults to symbolize hope and connection.  Any time you see a bridge come into a tray, know you are on the right track.

Bridges, bridges and more bridges in my sandtray room

Some houses

More houses

10. Breakable/abstract ideas

I keep my breakable stuff on the top shelves. However, this doesn’t mean that stuff never gets broken. If you are super worried about it getting broken, it doesn’t belong in your collection. Put that on a bookshelf somewhere where you can admire it.

Adults will be the ones who use these. Even then, it’s not super common for adults to use them. I think I have these for myself, if I’m honest.

Breakable pretties

Hope this was helpful to you! Stay tuned for the next post about space-friendly set-ups for miniatures.

Now that you’ve seen mine- I want to see your miniatures! Put a picture of your collection or your most favorite miniatures in the comments and then we can all have miniature envy!

***

Thanks to Amy Flaherty and The Southern Sandtray for this great post!

Visit Childtherapytoys.com to for all of your sandplay and child therapy needs!

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Categories : Reader Submissions, Sandplay/Sand Tray Therapy, Uncategorized
Tags : Play Therapy, sand tray miniatures, sand tray therapy, therapy toys

10 Categories for Sorting Sandtray Shelves: How, What, and Why by Amy Flaherty

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· May 19, 2017 
· 1 Comment

Confession time: I’m an addict.

What kind of addict you ask…

..the best kind: the sandtray miniature kind!!

I’m betting that if you are reading this super nuanced post about the details of doing sandtray therapy you should belong to a miniature meeting somewhere too, am I right??

Okay, so let’s get to it…

Last week I moved into a new, KA office where I have a spacious training room as well as a play therapy space.

I’m not gonna lie, moving sucked a big one, but one bright spot appeared in the whole process….

I got to rearrange and set up my miniatures just as I wanted them on brand new shelves!!

All My Pretties…

Since I’ve been doing sandtray therapy trainings for several years now (sign up here to grab your spot at my next training), many folks have asked the best way to arrange miniatures on shelves.

As an aside, don’t worry for you traveling, crammed-for-space-therapists- my next blog post will be just for you so be on the look out!

Now, back to the fun stuff.

I’m going to show you how I arrange my miniatures and tell you my logic behind my placements. Plus, you’ll get to see most of my miniatures up close and personal, which I can bet will give you some miniature envy (there’s no such thing as ‘enough’ miniatures!)

Okay! Roll up your sleeves and let’s dig in shall we?

1. Animals

To start, you can see my animal shelves below. I place my animals closest to the bottom because they are most used my younger kiddos.  Young kids are most likely to use animals rather than people so putting them on the bottom just makes practical sense.

Groupings of domesticated animals- try to put the horses and other types of animals together. Kids will often make families out of these. Horses get used a LOT.

Groupings with zoo/wild animals

Birds/Cats/Dogs My cat and dog miniatures are also used all the time. You can almost never have enough of these.

Scary spiders go at the bottom. These are a MUST for working with little boys.

2. Fantasy Figures

When I moved offices, I knew I had to dedicate more shelves to fantasy miniatures.  These are also a must-have for your sandtray collection because they get used with all ages.  Adults usually place them as metaphors or hobbies, but kids will tell lots of stories with the fantasy figures.

Don’t worry- by placing an Elsa miniature there you aren’t guaranteed to hear the whole plot of Frozen.  (Read this post to find out why).

Bottom to top shelves with fantasy figures. Nab these any time you see them!

Dragon shelf. Used for all ages but again little boys gravitate towards this shelf. Multiple-headed dragons are the best.

3. Transportation

If you work with kids AT ALL, you will likely have a difficult time keeping this shelf neat and tidy. Little boys typically LOVE to smash cars into each other.  Remember, even if they can’t tell you what is happening in the tray, it doesn’t mean that nothing is happening. The brain never misses a chance to integrate.

So many cars they are spilling out of the shelves

4.  People

When working with school age clients and older, having a variety of people is extremely helpful.  Try to collect as many different ages, skin colors, and diverse abilities as possible.

As you can see, I separated mine into gender and then had a shelf for groupings of people.  I also made a separate placement just for what I think of as “milestone markers,” such as birth, weddings, graduation.  Place these near the bottom so your kids can access people miniatures as needed.

My shelf o’ men. Not sure why I have more men than women? Interesting though..

Children shelf on the bottom (babies are grouped) and then the women shelf above it

Family shelf. Can you spot my favorite??

5.  Fences

I have an entire shelf devoted just to fences.  You really can never have too many fences.  Kids will often line the tray with fences and have fences inside of fences.  A variety of size and shapes are helpful. To find out more about fences in the tray, click here.

Fences on the top and treasure box/treasure shelf below

6. Treasure/Rocks

Just as fences get used in trays for all ages, so do treasure chests, treasures, and rocks.  I try to place these near the middle on my shelves.

Don’t worry about sorting all of your rocks because the kids will choose what they need anyway (and you will drive your OCD self INSANE if you make this a priority.)

7. Religion/Death shelves

Seems like an odd pairing at first huh? But, if you think about it, religion plays a key role in how we see death, so it makes sense to have these near each other.

Clients of all ages will use these- adults again, perhaps more metaphorically but these two shelves do get a lot of use in my play room.

In case you can’t see, they are in the middle shelves.

Death and religion shelves

 8. Miscellaneous

But what about all that stuff that just doesn’t have a category??

Round those up and put them on shelves you classify as “miscellaneous.”  Adults LOVE these shelves.  So many abstract thoughts and stories come from random miniatures.

Always keep an eye out at yard sales and flea markets for one-of-a-kind miniatures to fill these shelves. Often those miniatures where I have NO CLUE how they could be used end up being the most popular ones!

Some of my favorite shelves. Also near the middle

More miniature eye candy..

9.  Houses/Bridges

I place my houses at the top because these rarely get used by little ones, but adults love to populate their trays with houses.  A variety of houses is helpful for the client to find one that is “just right.”

Bridges are often used by adults to symbolize hope and connection.  Any time you see a bridge come into a tray, know you are on the right track.

Bridges, bridges and more bridges in my sandtray room

Some houses

More houses

10. Breakable/abstract ideas

I keep my breakable stuff on the top shelves. However, this doesn’t mean that stuff never gets broken. If you are super worried about it getting broken, it doesn’t belong in your collection. Put that on a bookshelf somewhere where you can admire it.

Adults will be the ones who use these. Even then, it’s not super common for adults to use them. I think I have these for myself, if I’m honest.

Breakable pretties

Hope this was helpful to you! Stay tuned for the next post about space-friendly set-ups for miniatures.

Now that you’ve seen mine- I want to see your miniatures! Put a picture of your collection or your most favorite miniatures in the comments and then we can all have miniature envy!

***

Thanks to Amy Flaherty and The Southern Sandtray for this great post!

Visit Childtherapytoys.com to for all of your sandplay and child therapy needs!

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Categories : Play Therapy, Reader Submissions, Sandplay/Sand Tray Therapy
Tags : Play Therapy, play therapy intervention, sand tray miniatures, sand tray therapy, therapy intervention, therapy toys

March Play Therapy Wrap Up

Posted by Gary Yorke 
· March 28, 2017 
· No Comments

girl spinning

“Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.”

– Kay Redfield Jamison, professor of psychiatry

 

Blog

Thanks to Leah Davies for the insights and tips into aggression in girls. Aggression, or bullying, with girls is often different than aggression in boys, as boys tend to cause physical harm, where aggression in girls manifests itself as covert or relational aggression. Relational aggression is when a  person uses manipulation to withhold friendship as a form of punishment, or creates problems within the relationships of others in an attempt to control or punish others. Because girls typically value their personal relationships with other girls, this type of bullying can be very damaging. Davies explains how schools and parents can increase awareness of the issue as well as prevent further bullying in the classroom.

Articles

Sandplay Therapy is a unique and effective tool for children in therapy. It’s a great resource for younger children who dont have the vocabulary to put into words how they are feelings. During sandplay therapy, chidlren and adults use various toys and objects to create a scene in their sandbox. The scene is then interpreted by the child’s therapist and talked about with the Child. “Through play, children work through many types of life lessons, conflicts and mysteries,” said  S. Sugatt, a licensed clinical social worker.

Arunima Basu’s article highlighting the symptoms and concerns for children who have been or are being abused. Some tale-tale signs of abuse in a child are isolation, lack of interest in usual activities, sleep disturbance, and chronic stress. Basu tells us that it is the responsibility of the family of the child to watch for the signs of abuse and communicate with the child so that they understand what inappropriate behavior is and can identify when it is happening to them.

Research has shown that childhood trauma can reshape the brain and behaviors of children. “Previously, what were labeled as behavioral and learning-related issues, such as non-compliance, learning disabilities, depression, oppositional disorder and even Attention Deficit Disorder, are undergoing a reexamination as the understanding of the effects of traumatic stress on a child’s brain grows,” said Theresa O’Neil of Second Wave Michigan. Rather than ask what is wrong with the child, we should be asking what happened, and how can we help.

Veronica Mackey also shared tips on how to stop bullying on campuses. Mackey introduced James Gavsie, an author, martial arts and bullying expert. According to Gavsie, without continuous support and instruction on the topic of bullying, schools will never see the changes needed. Gavsie provides insights and tips on how teachers and parents can stop bullying and implement programs at schools to keep bullying under control.

It is easier to build strong children than repair broken men. That is the motto of ToyBank, a company that has set up 277 toy libraries and game centers in Maharashtra. ToyBank understands the strong mental and social benefit children can have from playtime with peers. Board games and toys are used as tools to help children learn about academic subjects, such as math and reading, as well as learn about themselves and their own bodies and feelings. The games are determined based on the needs of the children. ToyBank does not use games that promote violence or lifestyle toys.

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Categories : Monthly Wrap-Up, Wrap Up
Tags : board games, development, family roles, feelings, games, mental health disorders, Play Therapy, sand tray miniatures, therapy intervention, therapy toys
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