Play to Blossom

31/03/2026

Generation Mindful 💗

21/03/2026

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15/03/2026

Mothering Sunday is a lovely way to honour the caring and nurturing females in our lives and BAPT wishes all these a wonderful day of celebrating yourself with those for whome you care.

However, as play therapists we understand how essential it is to recognise that Mother's Day can be different for each child and young person. Some can be happy to celebrate and share their love and gratitude for nurturing female care givers on this day. Whilst for others it can be difficult to mark this day if experiencing loss, separation, or trauma as they can be struggling to engage with the sentiment of the day or the memories this brings forward. Let’s encourage children to engage with the day if they feel able, but allow them to abstain if they find it too difficult today.

10/03/2026

❤️💕

06/03/2026

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When parents nurture their own well-being, they quietly strengthen the entire family.🩷

03/03/2026

We have a brand new blog up on the website, all about Trauma Informed Practice and Play!
Among many other things, Erin is a play therapist and lecturer based in Scotland with a background in early years. Her article touches on developmental trauma, and leads us through the role of the adult, co-regulation, and how play can be used as one of the tools to help process trauma.

💡Adults might not know what meaning play has to a child, but that doesn't mean it's not meaningful.

https://www.playscotland.org/news/

27/02/2026

Play is not “just play.”

It is a child’s natural language and a powerful vehicle for emotional expression, communication, and healing.

Through play, children can:
• express feelings they may not yet have words for
• process difficult or overwhelming experiences
• explore relationships and build trust
• develop emotional regulation and resilience

Play Therapy provides a safe, consistent, and attuned space where children can work through challenges at their own pace, supported by a trained professional.

✨ When we honour play, we honour the child’s voice.

25/02/2026

For those of us working with children, the early stages are especially important. In infancy, children are developing a sense of trust and learning whether the world feels safe and predictable. As they grow, they begin to seek independence, testing their autonomy and developing a sense of control. During the preschool years, children explore initiative through play, building confidence and purpose. As they move into the primary years, they begin to compare themselves to others, developing a sense of competence — or, at times, feelings of inferiority.

In the playroom, these stages are not just theoretical — they are lived out through play. We may see a child testing whether the space and the therapist feel safe, exploring control and independence, expressing worries about getting things “wrong”, or striving for mastery and becoming frustrated when something feels too difficult.

Through a safe, consistent and attuned relationship, children are able to revisit and repair these developmental stages.
Erikson’s theory reminds us that children’s behaviours often reflect underlying developmental needs, rather than simply being seen as “difficult behaviour”. When we respond with attunement, consistency and acceptance, we support children to move forward with a stronger sense of safety, confidence and identity.

24/02/2026

When your child hits, shouts, or lashes out… it’s easy to see defiance.

But what if it’s actually defence?

In the primary years, the fight response isn’t a choice. It’s a brain on high alert, reacting to a perceived threat. Their body floods with energy, their thinking brain goes offline, and survival takes over.

It can look like anger.
It can feel like aggression.
But underneath, it’s a child who doesn’t feel safe.

This is their voice… from the inside of the fight response.

Because when we understand what’s really happening, we stop asking, “How do I stop this behaviour?”
And start asking, “What does my child need right now?”

Boy version was posted yesterday.

22/02/2026

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An angry child isn’t always defiant — they’re often hurting.
When parents choose to see the pain beneath the anger,
healing begins.❤️‍🩹

19/02/2026

Being a parent is the best job in the world, but it can also be the hardest. We’re here for you – with tips and advice you can trust to help you with the highs and lows of parenting 💟

Check out our website ➡️parentclub.scot

Parent Club. Here to help

14/02/2026

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