Colour Me Happy Limited

05/02/2026

Hello everyone!

Just a short shout out to say that I’m supporting this fabulous February.

➡️What does this mean?

Basically if you purchase any of my books during February from the below link, then will donate 10% to and

📚So with every purchase you’ll also be supporting indie bookshops too!

Here ⬇️

https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/read-it-forward-with-bookshop-org

01/02/2026

Neat pincer skills are a fine motor skill used in daily tasks like picking up small objects, turning the page of a book, threading a needle, picking up lint from your shirt, etc.

When we work on these skills in OT sessions, we should emphasize precision, control, and finger isolation, not speed. Quality of movement is more important than quantity.

MORE information and activity ideas: https://www.theottoolbox.com/neat-pincer-grasp-activities

01/02/2026

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/theepspace_sensory-circuits-came-up-again-in-our-sensory-activity-7422344268306079744-LIn3?utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAAA7u92wBBRDncm3G4zDA8LWddaaEqa4Tttk&utm_source=social_share_send&utm_campaign=facebook

Such a good explanation of sensory circuits. I know we, as EPs, can get caught up with constantly recommending sensory circuits, however the depth of understanding about how schools do this well is crucial. This is a brilliant explanation.

24/01/2026

The world of Winnie-the-Pooh offers a gentle and powerful way of understanding play therapy.

The Hundred Acre Wood is a separate, protected world. It is not quite home and not quite reality, yet it is always deeply connected to it. This closely mirrors the play therapy room. It is a safe, symbolic space where children can explore their inner world through play, imagination and story.

In play therapy, children are not expected to explain their feelings using words. Like Pooh and his friends, they express worries, fears, hopes and relationships through characters, play themes and repetition. This allows children to explore difficult experiences at a safe emotional distance, whilst being held within a trusting and attuned therapeutic relationship.

Crucially, what happens in the playroom does not remain there. Over time, the emotional regulation, confidence and understanding developed through play gently transfer back into the child’s everyday life, at home, at school and within relationships.

A much-loved quote by A. A. Milne captures the heart of this process:

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

Play therapy helps children rediscover these truths about themselves. Not by telling them, but by allowing them to experience it through play, relationship and felt safety.

Play is not ‘just play’.

It is how children make sense of their world and how deep, lasting change begins.

23/01/2026

If you forget everything else, repeat this: play is enough! 🙌

Thank you! Janet Lansbury

23/01/2026

Anna Freud’s words sit at the very heart of play therapy practice.

Children do not always have the language to explain what they feel or why they behave as they do. Instead, their inner world often shows itself through play; in stories, symbols, roles and repetition. Within this play, the unconscious gently finds a voice.

In play therapy, we understand play as a bridge to the unconscious. It is where fears can be expressed safely, wishes can be explored without judgement and experiences can be worked through at the child’s own pace. What may feel confusing or overwhelming internally can be communicated, processed and transformed through play.

By attuning to a child’s play, the play therapist offers containment, curiosity and emotional safety, allowing the unconscious material to emerge naturally rather than be forced into words. This is where healing begins, not by asking children to explain themselves, but by meeting them where they are.

Play is not “just play”.

It is communication, insight and deep emotional work in action.

17/01/2026

When school anxiety shows up, it rarely looks like “I’m anxious.”

It looks like tummy aches, tears at the gate, perfectionism, clinginess, anger, or a child working overtime to hold it together until they get home.

This visual is a gentle reminder to adults: school can feel big, loud, unpredictable and socially risky — even for children who seem “fine”.
To save, click on the image, tap the three dots, and choose Save.
If you’d like the boy version, comment BOY below.

If you’re supporting a child with school anxiety, my When Worries Take Over Toolkit is packed with calm, practical strategies for mornings, drop-off, emotional regulation, and building confidence without pressure. Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

17/01/2026

When a child is mid-meltdown, they’re not choosing chaos.
They’re in distress.

A meltdown isn’t “bad behaviour” — it’s a nervous system overload. And in that moment, your child doesn’t need a lecture, a consequence, or a power struggle.

They need safety.
They need you to be their calm when their brain can’t find it.

This is the bit that’s hardest for adults (because we’re human too): the words they shout in overwhelm aren’t the truth of who they are. They’re the spill-over of a brain that’s flooded.

So if you’re in the thick of it right now, here’s your reminder:
Less talking. Softer voice. Lower demands. Stay close enough to feel safe.
We don’t calm children down — we calm with them. 💜

Managing Big Feelings Toolkit. Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

To SAVE, click on the image, tap the three dots, and choose Save.

17/01/2026

Proprioception is one of the most important senses you’ve probably never been taught about.
It’s the 'body awareness' system that helps a child know where their body is in space, how much force to use, and how to move smoothly and safely.

When it’s not working smoothly, children can look clumsy, crash into things, press too hard, avoid certain movements, or constantly seek deep pressure (tight hugs, squeezing, heavy work).

This isn’t laziness or attention-seeking.
It’s their nervous system asking for information.

Save this post for the next time a child is climbing, crashing, leaning, or “too rough” — it might be proprioception doing its best to cope.
To save, click on the image, tap the three dots, and choose Save.
If you’d like the girl version, comment GIRL below.

14/01/2026

Our What Is.... Series - today, INTEROCEPTION.

The hidden sense behind emotional regulation.

If a child seems to “go from 0 to 100” with no warning…

If they melt down suddenly…
If they struggle to tell you what’s wrong until they’re already overwhelmed…

There’s often a hidden sense behind it — interoception.

Today’s one-page visual breaks down what interoception is, why it’s so important for emotional regulation, and how you can gently support a young person whose internal signals feel confusing or too loud.

If you’d like the free parent information sheet to go with it, follow the directions in the visual, ensuring you LIKE the post and I’ll send you the Dropbox link. ⬇️

23/08/2025

Always have been and always will be 🙌🏻