The ACT model is a three-step limit-setting approach used in child-centered play therapy: Acknowledge the child's feeling, wish, or want; Communicate the limit clearly; and Target two appropriate alternatives. Developed by Dr. Garry Landreth, ACT allows therapists to hold firm limits while staying warm and attuned, protecting both the safety of the space and the therapeutic relationship.

Reusable water balloons make a surprisingly powerful play therapy tool for helping children release and process big feelings. By naming a fear, frustration, or worry out loud while throwing the balloon, children get to move the emotion through their body in a way that talking alone never quite achieves. Add a sidewalk painting activity afterward and you have a complete session intervention that addresses emotional expression, regulation, and the concept that feelings are temporary.

Kids don't just tell their stories—they move through them, jump into them, and sometimes even wiggle and roll right through the tough parts. Stories in Motion transforms a regular timeline reflection into a fully immersive play experience, helping children map out their past and imagine their future.

Designed for play therapists, school counselors, and child-focused clinicians, this activity pulls together gross motor skills, imaginative play, and therapeutic reflection to support children in understanding the past experiences that have shaped them and reflect on their future goals.

A peek into what children may be telling us about connection, perfection, and distraction

Over hundreds of sand tray sessions, I've noticed a few patterns that have emerged in the miniatures kids select. These are the top three miniatures most frequently chosen to represent parents in my sessions across the years. What they reveal is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.