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.

When families change shape, children often carry questions they don’t yet have the words to ask.Sometimes stories help c...
10/03/2026

When families change shape, children often carry questions they don’t yet have the words to ask.

Sometimes stories help children understand big changes in a gentle way.

The Confused Ducklings helps children make sense of separation and divorce by explaining that sometimes parents may live in different “ponds”, but their love for their ducklings stays the same.

When children listen to a story like this, they often feel many things inside - confusion, sadness, relief, or questions they don’t yet have words for.

One way to help children process these feelings is to let them create something after the story.

Here clay was used to make two ponds and some little ducks. As children build, shape, and move the ducks between the ponds, they often begin to talk, ask questions, and express feelings that might otherwise stay stuck inside.

Creative activities like clay, drawing, or painting give children another language for their emotions.

Stories open the door, and creativity helps them walk through it.

All stories available to view and order 👉🏻 www.childtherapytoolbox.co.za 🌈

09/03/2026

A child’s behaviour is often a message.

Sometimes the message is:“I feel overwhelmed.”“I don’t know what to do with this feeling.”“I need help.”“I feel unheard.”“I need connection.”

Children don’t yet have the brain development or emotional language to explain what is happening inside them. So their feelings often come out through behaviour.

Instead of asking:“What is wrong with this child?”

Try asking:“What might this child be struggling with?”

When we become curious instead of critical, we open the door to understanding.

And understanding is where real support begins.

- Child Therapy Toolbox















07/03/2026

Sometimes the most meaningful moments in therapy happen through something as simple as a game.

One of my favourites to use with children is Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza.

Some of the children I see arrive feeling quite withdrawn. They may struggle to connect, feel unsure of the space, or find it difficult to relax and be themselves. Sitting face-to-face and talking can sometimes feel like too much in those early stages.

But introduce a game… and something shifts.

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is fast, focused, and full of laughter. Between trying to keep up with the rhythm of the game and reacting quickly to the funny cards - the gorilla, groundhog, narwhal and springbok - children often find themselves laughing before they even realise it.

And in those moments, something really important is happening.

There’s shared attention.There’s playful competition.There’s eye contact, surprise, and laughter.

Suddenly the room feels lighter. The child begins to relax. And connection begins to grow.

Therapy doesn’t always start with deep conversations.Sometimes it starts with a silly game, a quick hand slap on a pile of cards, and a genuine shared laugh.

And those moments of connection are often where the real work begins.

If you looking to add this game to your therapy or playkit you can order from our online store www.childtherapytoolbox.co.za 🌈

05/03/2026

New Online Workshop 🧱⭐️

🧩 What can a pile of LEGO bricks tell us about a child?

A lot more than you might think.

When children build, we often see:
• how they approach challenges
• how they cope with frustration
• their creativity and problem-solving
• the stories and emotions they may struggle to express in words

Construction play creates a safe space where children can explore ideas, relationships and emotions while developing confidence and mastery.

I’ll be running a LEGO Therapy Workshop on 20 March for therapists and professionals working with children. We’ll explore how LEGO can be used to support social skills, emotional regulation, therapeutic relationships, and assessment in practice.

If you work with children and are interested in expanding your play-based interventions, this workshop may be for you.

Email laurensnailham@yahoo.com to register 😊

I’m still reflecting on the Nature-Based Therapy workshop I ran last week and how incredibly grounding the experience wa...
05/03/2026

I’m still reflecting on the Nature-Based Therapy workshop I ran last week and how incredibly grounding the experience was.

Spending the day with therapists who were willing to step outside the usual therapy room and explore something a little different was really special. It reminded me how powerful it can be to go back to the basics - to slow down, to not over-structure every moment with children, and to trust their natural ability to explore, regulate, and heal.

Nature invites curiosity, movement, creativity, and connection. Sometimes the most meaningful therapeutic moments happen when we step away from agendas and allow space for children to engage with the world around them.

Interestingly, this workshop group was smaller than many of the others I run. It made me reflect on how new and unfamiliar nature-based work still feels for many therapists. When something is different, it can feel easier to stay within the approaches we already know.

But growth in our field often comes from gently stepping outside of those comfort zones - exploring approaches that are simple, accessible, and deeply aligned with how children naturally experience the world.

I feel incredibly grateful to the therapists who joined and were willing to experiment, reflect, and play.

If you’re curious about Nature-Based Therapy and would like to attend a future workshop, keep an eye out for the next invitation.

🌸🌈🌳




When a child is overwhelmed, their thinking brain goes offline.Logic.Impulse control.Listening.Problem-solving.All of it...
18/02/2026

When a child is overwhelmed, their thinking brain goes offline.

Logic.
Impulse control.
Listening.
Problem-solving.

All of it pauses.

What switches on instead? Survival mode.

So when we push harder, explain louder, or discipline more firmly… it often makes things worse.

You can’t teach a skill to a brain that isn’t available.

Regulation first.
Correction second.

Busy isn’t the same as healthy.Many kids aren’t struggling because they’re lazy - they’re overloaded 🚚😩If your child see...
13/02/2026

Busy isn’t the same as healthy.

Many kids aren’t struggling because they’re lazy - they’re overloaded 🚚😩

If your child seems irritable, emotional, or “not coping,” it might be stress, not defiance.

Let’s talk about how to lower the load, not raise the pressure.

Join me at The Overloaded Child workshop.

To book your spot email laurensnailham@yahoo.com 🌈

When children are overwhelmed, they aren’t listening to logic - they’re listening for safety.In moments of big emotion, ...
04/02/2026

When children are overwhelmed, they aren’t listening to logic - they’re listening for safety.

In moments of big emotion, the nervous system picks up on tone, pace, and facial expression before it processes words. A calm, steady voice helps signal, “You’re safe. I’m with you.”

This is co-regulation in action.

Slowing your voice slows the moment.
Softening your tone softens the nervous system.

You don’t need perfect words.
You just need a regulated presence and a gentle voice.

Sometimes all it takes is:
“That was a lot. Let’s slow down together.”

Over time, children begin to internalise this calm voice — and it becomes their own.





28/01/2026

Co-Regulation Practices for Parents 🧘🌸

Heres the first one: The Power of Presence

When children are overwhelmed, their nervous system is not able to calm itself yet.

This is where co-regulation matters.

Research in developmental neuroscience and attachment theory shows that children regulate through the presence of a calm adult before they can regulate on their own. A steady, regulated caregiver helps bring a child’s nervous system out of fight, flight, or freeze and back into safety.

You don’t need to fix, explain, or problem-solve in these moments.
Your calm body, slow breathing, and quiet presence send a powerful message of safety.

Over time, these repeated moments of co-regulation help children:
• feel safer in their emotions
• recover from distress more quickly
• build their own capacity for self-regulation

Co-regulation is not a weakness.
It is the foundation for emotional resilience.

coregulation




The Overloaded Child 😩Why Kids Are Struggling More Than Ever - and What Actually HelpsChildren today are growing up in a...
27/01/2026

The Overloaded Child 😩

Why Kids Are Struggling More Than Ever - and What Actually Helps

Children today are growing up in a world that places increasing emotional, cognitive, sensory, and social demands on them. Many of the behaviours we are seeing - meltdowns, anxiety, withdrawal, defiance, or emotional exhaustion - are not signs of poor behaviour or poor coping, but signs of overload.

This workshop will help parents and teachers better understand what children may be carrying beneath the surface, and how we can support them in ways that are realistic, compassionate, and effective.

In this workshop, we will explore:

• Why many children are struggling more than ever
• The different types of overload children experience
• How overload shows up in behaviour, emotions, and learning
• Why traditional strategies often stop working
• Practical ways to reduce stress and support regulation at home and at school.

This workshop is suitable for parents and teachers of children from early childhood through to the teenage years.

Date: 25 Februaury 2026
Time: 7pm - 8:30pm
Cost: R200 pp

If you’d like to attend email laurensnailham@yahoo.com

Working therapeutically with children and adolescents invites us not only to support growth and healing in others, but a...
26/01/2026

Working therapeutically with children and adolescents invites us not only to support growth and healing in others, but also to remain attuned, regulated, and grounded ourselves. Nature-based therapy offers a powerful way to do both.

I warmly invite you to join me for a Nature-Based Therapy Workshop with Children & Teens, designed for psychologists working with children and adolescents, including registered psychologists, intern psychologists, and community service psychologists.

Nature-based therapy draws on growing research highlighting the role of natural environments in nervous system regulation, emotional processing, attention, and restoration. Time spent in nature has been shown to reduce stress, support self-regulation, enhance emotional awareness, and foster a deeper sense of connection - benefits that extend to both clients and therapists.

This workshop explores how the natural environment can be thoughtfully and ethically integrated into therapeutic work with children and teens. Nature becomes more than a setting; it becomes a co-therapist - offering opportunities for symbolic play, sensory regulation, embodied exploration, reflection, and meaning-making.

Beyond its therapeutic value for clients, many practitioners find nature-based work deeply nourishing for themselves. Being outdoors invites us to slow down, reconnect with our own bodies and rhythms, and experience restoration alongside the children and adolescents we support.

Workshop Details

Online Workshop

Date: 27th of February, 2026

Time: 8:00 am – 3:30 pm.

Cost: R1100 pp

Presented by Lauren Snailham – Clinical Psychologist

HPCSA ACCREDITED for 6 CPD points

To register, please email laurensnailham@yahoo.com

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