19/10/2025
“Play is the language of communication.”
Every Play Therapist’s toolkit looks a little different — filled with miniature worlds, symbols, and sensory treasures — but each item is carefully chosen to invite expression, safety, and story.
At IntraQuest, our Play Therapists understand that play isn’t just play. The way a child interacts with a toy, paints a picture, or builds a tower often tells the story that words can’t reach. It’s through these stories that healing begins — where emotions find a shape, and experiences start to make sense.
One of our Directors, Jenny, recalls working with a young carer who expressed herself not through words, but through art.
She remembers the young person creating a beautiful rainbow bird — bright, detailed, suspended mid-air, its wings glued firmly in place. The bird seemed to hold strength and beauty, yet also stillness — perhaps a reflection of feeling stuck or trapped.
As the weeks passed, this young person’s confidence grew. She began to explore more of the room, experimenting with different materials, expressing more of her story in new ways.
In her final session, she drew the bird again — this time, in flight.
✨ Every item in a therapist’s kit holds the potential for transformation — a bridge between the seen and unseen, helping children feel safe enough to play, express, and ultimately, heal.
We loved this beautiful post from our PTUK friends, reminding us that:
“It’s not the items themselves that heal – it’s how they’re used, the intention behind them, and the emotional space they create.”
Every Play Therapist has their own version of a toolkit crate – not just a box of toys, but a collection of symbols, sensory materials, and creative tools that invite communication beyond words.
Here’s a look inside what often travels with a therapist – and the deeper purpose behind each item:
🧸 Miniature figures: help children project real-life relationships and explore power, safety, and belonging through small-world play.
🎨 Art materials: drawing, clay, or watercolours provide a safe way to show feelings that might feel “too big” to name.
🪵 Natural objects stones, shells, feathers, and sand remind children of stability and connection to the real world – grounding tools in moments of stress.
🎭 Puppets and masks: give permission to express strong emotions through a character, allowing the child to stay both “in” and “outside” the story.
🧩 Building materials: blocks, magnetic tiles, or recycled cardboard let children create and rebuild worlds, testing out control, safety, and change.
📖 Story cards and blank books: help children reshape difficult memories into stories with new endings – a key part of therapeutic processing.
It’s not the items themselves that heal – it’s how they’re used, the intention behind them, and the emotional space they create.
A good toolkit crate is never just full – it’s alive, constantly evolving with the child’s needs.
✨ Imagine opening your own toolkit – what three objects would you include to help a child feel safe enough to play?
Learn more about play therapy here: https://zurl.co/RinDm
