17/10/2025
Every Play Therapist has their own version of a toolkit crate – not just a box of toys, but a collection of symbols, sensory materials, and creative tools that invite communication beyond words.
Here’s a look inside what often travels with a therapist – and the deeper purpose behind each item:
🧸 Miniature figures: help children project real-life relationships and explore power, safety, and belonging through small-world play.
🎨 Art materials: drawing, clay, or watercolours provide a safe way to show feelings that might feel “too big” to name.
🪵 Natural objects stones, shells, feathers, and sand remind children of stability and connection to the real world – grounding tools in moments of stress.
🎭 Puppets and masks: give permission to express strong emotions through a character, allowing the child to stay both “in” and “outside” the story.
🧩 Building materials: blocks, magnetic tiles, or recycled cardboard let children create and rebuild worlds, testing out control, safety, and change.
📖 Story cards and blank books: help children reshape difficult memories into stories with new endings – a key part of therapeutic processing.
It’s not the items themselves that heal – it’s how they’re used, the intention behind them, and the emotional space they create.
A good toolkit crate is never just full – it’s alive, constantly evolving with the child’s needs.
✨ Imagine opening your own toolkit – what three objects would you include to help a child feel safe enough to play?
Learn more about play therapy here: https://zurl.co/RinDm
