5 Must-Have Items for Your Portable Play Therapy Kit
If you’re a school-based play therapist, in-home clinician, or anyone who’s ever worked out of a shared office, you know the struggle: limited space, constant transitions, and super quick turnaround time between sessions.
Luckily, you don’t need a full playroom to do meaningful, creative work. Over time, I’ve found items that are quick and easy to clean-up, easy to transport, and make a big difference in fostering the healing work that our kiddos do through play.
Here are five of my go-to favorites for a portable or limited space play kit that actually works in the real world.
I don’t know who invented these, but I’d like to send them a thank-you card. Kwik Stix are paint sticks that dry in seconds which means no brushes, no cups of water, no mess. They’re perfect for art in small spaces, quick transitions, or when you’re working in a room where mess just isn’t an option. I’m a big believer in having paint available for creative expression, but sometimes the traditional options just don’t work. If you don’t have access to a sink, need art to dry so kids can take it back to class or transport it on the bus, are sharing your space with someone else, or need to the ability to get your next client right after the current ones leaves, these paint sticks are a MUST have.
A dollhouse is a staple in play therapy. It allows the child to process family dynamics, work on attachment, and explore real life scenarios. Unfortunately, most dollhouse are big and bulky, so they don’t transport well or they take up too much space in the room. The Fold & Go Dollhouse from Melissa and Doug is a perfect, portable size that opens up for client’s to play and then folds back for storing. It fits easily on a shelf or in a bag and even has it’s own handle for carrying from space to space as needed. I also love that it comes with several pieces of furniture and two dolls that fit neatly inside during storage or transport.
These are one of my absolute favorite tools. Sarah’s Silks are colorful, lightweight scarves that can turn into anything: capes, rivers, blankets, tents, costumes, or safe spaces. They take up almost no room in your bag, but open the door to so many types of play like sensory, imaginative, symbolic, and nurturing. These keep pretend play from being limited to only the costumes you have on hand and allows for clients of all shapes and sizes to utilize them equally for a more inclusive experience.
It’s no secret that sand tray is my absolute favorite thing to use with clients, but sometimes there just isn’t room for that big, beautiful wooden rolling tray. (If you do have room, I recommend this one!) When space is limited, the portable sand tray with lid from Play Therapy Supply is an excellent option. It’s perfect for travel, school settings, or offices that don’t allow permanent setups. It comes in three sizes so you can choose what works best for you. If your budget allows, you could consider this portable starter set that includes the tray, sand, miniatures, and a tote to carry it all in.
This one is such a hidden gem! The Dailyfunn foldable kitchen packs down small, sets up in seconds, and is easy to wipe clean. It allows kids to express nurturing themes, family dynamics, reality testing, and so much more. A good play kitchen was always the thing missing when I created portable kits or had limited space and this solves the problem.