Every Cloud Play & Creative Arts Therapy

13/12/2025

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We forget sometimes — because they talk like us, argue like us, and push back like us — that they are not like us. Not yet.

Children are not mini adults.

Their brains are still forming.
Their nervous systems are still calibrating.
Their sense of self, their impulse control, their ability to see another’s perspective — it’s all still under construction.

The brain doesn’t finish developing until well into the twenties. And the parts responsible for emotional regulation, understanding consequences, and empathy? They’re among the last to mature.

So when we expect them to behave with the steadiness of someone fully grown, we’re not setting a boundary — we’re setting them up.

Every meltdown, every pushback, every wobble is a chance to learn, not a sign of failure. They need space to be loud, impulsive, reactive, and real. Not because they’re choosing to be difficult…

… But because they’re STILL developing the tools to do anything else.

Let them be little. That’s where the real growth begins. ❤️

12/12/2025

Great question from Dr Kate Renshaw and Play & Filial Therapy…. 🤔

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If play is nature’s pharmacy, play therapists hold the prescription pad, dispensing precisely what’s needed for optimal development and wellbeing

So why do we invest billions in treating symptoms downstream, while the preventative power of play therapy remains chronically underfunded?

What if we got serious about developmental and adversity supports before crisis intervention was needed?

11/12/2025

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11/12/2025

The awesome team at Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma C.I.C are holding space on Monday. Do join if this resonates with you. 😊☁️

The truth about post-adoption “support” is out. Hear from those who’ve been where you are.

11/12/2025

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In play therapy, children engage in rich cognitive work that directly supports the development of working memory, the mental space where they hold, organise and manipulate information.

During play, children remember sequences, keep track of roles, follow the unfolding logic of their story and juggle multiple ideas at once. Even simple activities like building, planning, or imaginative storytelling require the child to hold information in mind while also adapting to new possibilities.

Within the therapeutic relationship, this cognitive load is manageable because the child feels safe, supported and free to explore at their own pace. As children repeat, revise and expand their play, they strengthen neural pathways involved in attention, planning and flexible problem-solving.

The play therapist’s attuned presence helps the child tolerate challenge and recover from frustration. All of which reinforce working memory and broader executive functioning.

Through this process, play therapy nurtures the developing brain, enabling children to think more clearly, organise their experiences and approach the world with greater cognitive resilience.

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11/12/2025

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We don’t hold on to our kids through perfect experiences or grand gestures.

The simplest way to hold on is through rituals — the small, steady movements of gathering, restoring, repairing, and delighting that invite our children to rest in our care.

These 10 attachment rituals are everyday ways of saying,
“You belong with us. You can rest here.”

All of these just require your presence — nothing fancy, nothing scripted. And they matter now more than ever in a world that keeps pulling kids outward: to screens, to peers, to the pressures of growing up too fast.
These rituals keep pulling them home again.

Save this as a gentle reminder:
Connection is not a performance, a set of skills to master, or tricks to remember.
It’s simply a way of showing up — again and again — in the relationship that matters most.

Which one of these are working for you?

10/12/2025

For your chance to win a £3,000 Christmas Cash bonus which supporting Every Cloud please click on this link ⛅️😀🎄

Every Cloud Play and Creative Arts Therapy CIC is offering you the chance to win big prizes and help raise much needed funds.

07/12/2025

Spending the weekend on a briiliant training course in a creative space.

So many ideas! 😊☁️

01/12/2025

Our team are qualified to Masters level and all proud to be BAPT Registered Play Therapists. 😊☁️

Dr. Kate's dictionary definition of Play Therapy!

Because sometimes the most powerful advocacy is simply stating the facts: what it is, who delivers it, and what the evidence shows

Effect sizes: 0.47-0.80. That's not opinion...that's data

01/12/2025

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No Child Left Behind Holiday Activities & Food Programme (HAF) is now LIVE!

Families can book fun activities during the Christmas period. Please go to the Gloucestershire Family Hub page to book (see the comments).

HAF activities are for families on income-based school meals, but HAP activities can be accessed by all families.

There are lots of different activities on offer, including tickets to:
🎄 Ice Skating Sessions
🎭 Panto & The Little Mermaid Performances at the Everyman Theatre
🎉 The Leisure @ Cheltenham Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree Party

Please see the Gloucestershire Family Hub website for dates and times of our different events!
👉 Create a Family Hub account now to book!

Don’t worry if you miss out on tickets today—we will release a small number of extra tickets over the coming days, so keep an eye on our social media!

30/11/2025

For anyone that needs a throwback to the original idea behind the concept…… December is already busy enough, do go gently with any extra expectations that you might be tempted to put upon your (s) elf. 😊☁️

30/11/2025

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Gloucestershire Gateway Trust have some fantastic free activities for families and children aged 0-11 years old over the festive period. 🎄❄🎁