Empowering Play

11/06/2025

10/03/2025

We often step in because children’s struggle makes us uneasy. Sometimes the challenge involves risk, sometimes it is simply effort or persistence. At times it brings frustration, other times joy. But when we rush in to do the work for them or overprotect them from a movement that feels risky, we interrupt the very process that helps them grow.

Children need space to wrestle with problems, to pause and think, to test an idea, to make mistakes and to recover from them. These experiences build resilience and problem-solving skills. A mistake is not a failure to be erased but an opportunity to learn and try again. When children are allowed to face difficulty without immediate rescue, they begin to trust their own abilities and develop the inner voice that says, “I can do this.”

Compliments such as “you’re so smart” may feel encouraging, but they do not actually build confidence. In many cases they erode it, because children come to believe their value lies in pleasing others or meeting an expectation. Confidence is not born from praise but from lived experience, from the moments where effort, persistence, and discovery come together.

Confidence is one of the most critical life skills we can support in our children. It carries them into every relationship, every challenge, and every dream they pursue. Our role is not to erase difficulty but to stand steady beside it, allowing children to build competence for themselves. Confidence grows from competence, and competence is built through exploration, persistence, and the freedom to meet both success and struggle on their own terms.

09/18/2025

📚 Picture books are SUCH a helpful tool in counseling! Thankfully, there are so many amazing books out there to help your students learn the skills they need.

Next time you read a book to your students, try asking some of these questions to get them thinking even more!

Not sure which picture books to choose? I have a free list of 120 recommendations that cover 15 different topics! Let me know if you want it 🙂

09/11/2025

09/05/2025

Another fine motor favorite of mine- a more motivating way to learn how to fasten / unfasten buttons in addition to building fine motor, visual motor, and bilateral coordination skills 🥳

https://www.instagram.com/p/DOO4x5egVAw/

08/24/2025

Transition Trick :) Visual schedule made cheap and simple

https://www.instagram.com/empowering_play/reel/DNY_oNcxJ0r/

08/22/2025

Fine Motor Favorite!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNqmIygR8vh/

08/19/2025

MORE FINE MOTOR --->> https://mommyevolution.com/fine-motor-skills-activities/

08/15/2025

New blog post 👀 Tricks for Transitions! For kiddos who have a hard time moving from one activity to the next:

It can be rough if you're trying to take care of your child's basic needs and they're fighting you every step of the way because they don't want to stop playing to brush their teeth. Transitions can be tough for kids, especially if they're moving from something fun to something less exciting. Their....

06/12/2025

Looking for cheap and easy activities to entertain your child and support their fine motor development?

Here are some activity ideas that use common household items:

While there are tons of fun and fancy toys that help build fine motor skills, there are also plenty of fun activities you can do with materials you already have at home! We all know that kids sometimes prefer to play with the box toys come in vs. the toys themselves, so why not build on that creativ...