Child Therapy Toolbox

Child Therapy Toolbox Clinical Psychologist Lauren Snailham & Delyce Knowles have created therapeutic tools to teach and empower children to identify and express their emotions.

Children often find it difficult to identify and express their emotions so when they experience uncomfortable feelings they tend to act out or internalise them. Not knowing how to express their emotions appropriately can lead to consequences such as: bullying, aggression, hyperactivity, learning problems, soiling, bed-wetting, anxiety, obsessions, sleep problems, nightmares, eating problems, withdrawal and depression. Child Therapy Toolbox provides tools that can be used to by therapists, teachers and parents to educate, empower and help children begin to heal. The products have all been tried and tested in therapy, in the classroom and by parents. Individually and in group settings. Products include: therapeutic story books,
charts, games, puppets, puzzles and much more. All created to help children identify emotions, learn appropriate ways of expressing them and to address some difficult issues they may be facing in a non-threatening and playful way. We also run workshops for parents and educators on a variety of relevant topics. Please see www.therapeuticstories for more information and to view our products.

04/12/2025

🎄Holidays bring extra magic… and extra meltdowns.

Long days, excitement, and routine changes can make regulation harder for little nervous systems.

So this is the perfect time to practice tiny in-the-moment calming strategies - for you and your child.

With practice, these moments of co-regulation become second nature and deepen your connection in the process.











25/11/2025

🌟 Ubomi 🌟

“Ubomi” means life - in a beautiful African language.

The name reflects everything this game is about: growth, connection, emotional development, and bringing life into learning and play.

Ubomi is our proudly South African-made twist on the classic block-stacking concept (think Jenga… but with meaning!).

Each wooden block has a question or instruction on the front and back - turning simple play into a powerful emotional and relational tool.

✨ What’s inside Ubomi?

Each block invites children (and adults!) to:
💛 Explore emotions and where they’re felt in the body
💛 Learn what to do with big feelings
💛 Strengthen social skills
💛 Identify strengths and positive characteristics
💛 Explore family relationships
💛 AND enjoy joyful prompts like “Snort like a pig,” “Bark like a dog,” and “Jump up and down 5 times!”

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or therapist, the Ubomi Game creates space for insight, laughter, bonding, and emotional learning.

🎁 Makes an amazing Christmas gift
🏡 Perfect for home
🏫 Loved in classrooms
🪴 Essential in therapy rooms
🌍 Proudly South African-made

You can get your Ubomi now on our website! See link in comments below 😊

🌟 Why Affirmation Cards Matter for Children 🌟Children often feel their strengths long before they can name them. Affirma...
21/11/2025

🌟 Why Affirmation Cards Matter for Children 🌟

Children often feel their strengths long before they can name them. Affirmation Cards give them the language to recognise who they are - and who they’re becoming.

✨ Why Affirmations Work

🧠 Build self-belief: Repeating positive, accurate statements strengthens neural pathways that support confidence and resilience.

💬 Give children words for their strengths: Kids often don’t have the vocabulary for qualities like being caring, patient, observant, or thoughtful. Cards help them identify these traits in themselves.

💛 Support emotional regulation: When a child believes “I can do hard things,” “I am capable,” they are more able to calm themselves and try again.

👂 Strengthen connection: When parents reflect strengths back to a child, it builds secure self-worth and a deeper sense of being seen.

💡 How Parents & Teachers Can Use Them

• Let children choose a card that “feels like them.”
• Pick one for them and share why you see that strength.
• Use a card after a challenge to help them reframe the experience.
• Include them in morning routines, check-ins, or therapy sessions.

You can find some Affirmation Cards on our website www.childtherapytoolbox.co.za 🌈🌸🌱

🌱 Why Do Children Tell Lies?Before we rush to punish or shame a child for lying, it can help to slow down and ask why th...
21/11/2025

🌱 Why Do Children Tell Lies?

Before we rush to punish or shame a child for lying, it can help to slow down and ask why the lie might be happening. Children don’t lie because they’re “bad” - they lie because they are human and learning.
Here are some common reasons:

🐢 To avoid getting into trouble
When children feel afraid of a reaction, they may lie to protect themselves. Lying can be a shield when they fear punishment, disappointment, or anger.

🧸 To protect someone else’s feelings
Children who care deeply may lie to avoid hurting someone they love. It can be a sign of empathy still taking shape.

💡 Imagination and storytelling
Young children often blend reality and fantasy. Their “lies” might actually be creativity or wishful thinking, not intentional deception.

❤️ To get connection or attention
Sometimes children lie to feel noticed, valued, or included. It may be a sign of a deeper emotional need.

🧊 Shame or low self-worth
A child who lies might be carrying a fear of not being “good enough.” They might be trying to appear more capable, confident, or clever than they currently feel.

⚡️ Impulsivity
Some children speak before they think-especially those who struggle with self-regulation. The lie comes out fast, and the regret comes later.

🌼 Instead of asking:

“Why is my child lying?”

Try asking:
“What might my child be needing or feeling that led to this lie?”

Then we can guide them toward honesty with:
🧩 safety
🧩 curiosity
🧩 compassion
🧩 skill-building

Because honesty grows best in a relationship where it is safe to tell the truth.

















21/11/2025

They just don’t know 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏽‍♂️

Children don’t come into the world understanding emotions. They don’t know what anger is, why their chest feels tight, why they suddenly want to cry, or why their body feels like it’s going to explode.

And yet we often expect them to “pull it together” or “just stop.”

But the truth is… they just don’t know.
They don’t know the words.
They don’t know what’s happening inside their bodies.
They don’t know what to DO with these big feelings.

That’s where we come in.
As parents, teachers, and caregivers, it’s our job to teach them-

✨ what feelings are
✨ how feelings show up in the body
✨ and how to let those feelings out in appropriate, safe ways

Here are some simple things we can teach children to do when emotions get big:

• Take three deep breaths (in the nose, out the mouth)
• Squeeze a pillow really tightly
• Hum a calming sound
• Draw a picture of how they’re feeling
• Take a walk in the garden
• Ask for a hug
• Tell someone how they’re feeling

You can even make a “Feelings Toolbox” or a little chart together. Stick it on the fridge or their bedroom wall. Then when the big feelings arrive, you can go to the chart together and choose something from their list.

With practice, these steps become natural.
And slowly, beautifully, they learn that feelings aren’t scary…they’re just signals - and they can handle them. 🌈🌱

Ifyou are looking for aome books to read with your kids or games you can play to help teach about emotions then go to the links in the comments 😊












🌰 When Children Take What Isn’t TheirsWhen a child steals or takes something that doesn’t belong to them, it’s easy to f...
14/11/2025

🌰 When Children Take What Isn’t Theirs

When a child steals or takes something that doesn’t belong to them, it’s easy to focus on the behaviour - but beneath it, there’s almost always a feeling trying to be understood.

Children might take things for many reasons:

💛 Sometimes, it’s about filling an emptiness - a way to soothe a feeling of loneliness or lack.
💛 Sometimes, it’s an act of defiance - a small attempt to take control when life feels unpredictable.
💛 Sometimes, it’s about impulsivity - acting before thinking, especially for children who struggle with self-regulation.
💛 And sometimes, it’s a call for attention - a way of saying, “Please notice me,” when words are too hard to find.

Instead of shaming or punishing, our role as adults is to look beneath the surface:

✨ Stay calm
✨ Help them reflect on what they were feeling
✨ Guide them toward repair and making amends

My story Squirley and the Acorns was written to help children and parents explore this very theme - understanding why we sometimes take more than we need, and learning that real fullness comes from being seen, valued, and loved. 🐿️

Direct link to ‘Squirley and the Acorns https://childtherapytoolbox.co.za/product/squirley-and-the-acorns/

🎄✨ A Christmas Gift Kids Will Love! ✨🎄Looking for a gift that’s fun, calming, and built to last?Our Cocoon Swings are a ...
13/11/2025

🎄✨ A Christmas Gift Kids Will Love! ✨🎄

Looking for a gift that’s fun, calming, and built to last?
Our Cocoon Swings are a huge hit with children - they climb, swing, twist, and snuggle right in! 💚

✅ Takes up to 95 kg
✅ Double-layered for extra strength
✅ Durable, breathable, and super comfortable fabric
✅ Perfect for indoor or outdoor use
✅ Available in a range of beautiful colours

It’s more than just a swing - it’s a safe, cozy space for play, relaxation, and sensory regulation. 🌈

🎁 A gift that lasts long after the Christmas wrapping paper is gone!

Order yours at 👉 childtherapytoolbox.co.za

Puppets in TherapyPuppets can say the things children sometimes can’t.They give feelings a voice, turn worries into char...
13/11/2025

Puppets in Therapy

Puppets can say the things children sometimes can’t.

They give feelings a voice, turn worries into characters, and make it safe to explore the messy, muddled parts of being human.

Today, a little duck and a calm frog came to life in therapy - the duck getting stuck in the mud, frustrated and defeated, and the frog gently teaching him how to breathe, move, and try again.

Through play, children can project their struggles, find words for stuckness, and discover new ways to move through it - one muddy step at a time.

Because sometimes, healing starts with a story… and a puppet who knows just what to say. 💛

We also have lots of hand and finger puppets to choose from in our online shop Child Therapy Toolbox 🌈🌸🌱

For a free story you can use with your children about The Duck and The Frog put your email in the comments 🌈

Address

Kloof

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