Create A Therapeutic Environment: A Well-Planned and Organized Space is Very Important Especially for Distressed and Traumatized Children

• Orderly and Predictable
• Allow for Messiness & Ease of Clean Up

Criteria for Selecting Toys and Materials

Toys should:

• Allow for exploration of real-life experiences, including cultural values, traditions, and roles

• Facilitate contact with the child by gaining the child's interest and attention

• Permit reality testing/limit setting

• Provide the opportunity for development of self-control

• Facilitate exploration of the self and others

• Allow children to express their needs symbolically (without any need for verbalization)

• Provide for expression of a wide range of feelings

• Provide opportunities for insight/self-understanding

• Allow for creative expression

• Toys should also be durable, simple, and easy to operate, allow for success & are fun

Reminder: Toys should be selected, not collected

Categories of Toys

• Real-life and Nurturing
  Doll family, doll house, baby bottle, variety of puppets, animal families, cars, money, cash, register, kitchen food, medical kit, phone, etc.

• Acting-out, Aggressive, Scary Toys (or not?)
  Bop bag, toy soldiers, guns (colored plastic-not real looking!), scary/aggressive puppets and animals (alligator, shark, etc), rubber knife, foam sword, handcuffs, etc.

• Creative expression and emotional release:
  Sand, water, paints, craft materials, clay, musical instruments, magic wand, dress-up clothes, etc.

Toys and Materials For Play Therapy

Fully Equipped Playroom