Kids Mental Health

12 Thanksgiving Gratitude Crafts for Kids (Classroom & Counseling Ideas)

Leave a Comment / Kids Mental Health, Mental Health, Mental Health Education /

Why Gratitude Crafts Matter Around Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is more than just turkey and pumpkin pie — it’s a season built around gratitude. For kids, it’s a perfect time to practice noticing the good in their lives and expressing thankfulness in creative ways. In classrooms and counseling spaces, gratitude crafts combine creativity with social-emotional learning (SEL). […]

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15 Best Gifts for Kids with ADHD (Ages 6–9)

Leave a Comment / Food & Mood Recipes, Kids Mental Health, Lifestyle, Mental Health /

Choosing Gifts That Truly Support Kids with ADHD Shopping for kids is always fun — but when you’re choosing gifts for a child with ADHD, you want more than just “fun.” The best gifts aren’t the ones that get tossed aside after a week. They’re the ones that spark curiosity, encourage focus, provide healthy outlets

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10 Thanksgiving Gratitude Activities for Kids & Families

Leave a Comment / Kids Mental Health, Mental Health, Relationships /

Why Gratitude Matters for Kids Thanksgiving is more than pumpkin pie and turkey — it’s an invitation to slow down and notice the good in our lives. For children, gratitude isn’t just about saying “thank you.” It’s a skill that strengthens empathy, builds resilience, and even improves mental health. In therapy and at home, gratitude

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Autumn Emotion Regulation Games for Kids – Playful Paths to Calm & Coping

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September is what my school-psychologist friend calls “the great emotional reset.” New classroom, new routines, and big fall feelings swirl like leaves in the wind. That’s why I keep a box of emotion regulation games next to the art supplies every autumn. These playful activities help kids name, tame and reframe their feelings while soaking

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Calm Down Kit: How to Build a Portable Peace-Maker Students Will Actually Use

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I still remember the day Mateo melted down in the hallway. His art project had torn, and the calm-down corner was four doors away. My pockets were empty, my heart racing. That afternoon I vowed never to get caught without a calm down kit again. Since then I’ve carried a lunch-pail-sized box stuffed with simple

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First-Week SEL Icebreakers That Double as Counselor Meet-&-Greets

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A quick hello from the counselor’s chair 🎙️ By 9 a.m. on Day 1 I’ve already speed-walked two hallways, high-fived 30 third-graders, and taped my lanyard back together (again). The new-year buzz is electric—but so are the student nerves. Over the years I’ve learned that the fastest way to lower the collective cortisol is to

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Back-to-School Calm Corners: 7 Budget Decor Hacks Counselors & Teachers Swear By

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Is it weird that my counselor toolkit contains both Kleenex for tears and sneakers for hallway sprints? Because during that whirlwind first week of school I’m ping-ponging between classrooms, greeting 400 new faces—and fielding 87 “Can I talk to you?” notes before lunch. By Day 3 even I, the resident Zen-master, crave a reset button.

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How to Create a Kids’ Room That Supports Their Nervous System

Leave a Comment / Kids Mental Health, Mental Health, Nervous System Healing /

A relationship-first guide inspired by sensory-smart design and the DIR/Floortime® approach A Quick Personal Note I’m a school counselor by day and a mom the rest of the time. A few years ago I stumbled onto the DIR/Floortime model and it completely reshaped how I think about children’s behavior. DIR/Floortime isn’t about fancy swings or

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Building Emotional Resilience Brick by Brick: How to Use a LEGO Wall in Therapy and at Home

Leave a Comment / Blog, Kids Mental Health, Mental Health, Therapy Office Decor, Therapy Practice /

Creating a therapeutic environment that sparks imagination, supports emotional regulation, and encourages expression doesn’t have to be complicated. One of my favorite tools to introduce in a therapy space or child-centered area is the interactive LEGO wall. It may seem like just a fun distraction, but in reality, it offers incredible opportunities for connection, communication,

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How I Use a Light Table as a School Counselor and a Mom

Leave a Comment / Ethical Practice & Tools, Kids Mental Health, Mental Health, Therapy Practice /

When you walk into my counseling office—or my home—you might see something softly glowing in the background: a light table. At first, it may seem like just a fun visual toy. But over the past few years, it has become one of the most loved, versatile, and calming tools in both my work as a school counselor and in my parenting life.

Light tables are often thought of as classroom extras or preschool playroom staples, but when used with intention, they become so much more. I use them for emotional regulation, sensory exploration, quiet play, and even social-emotional learning prompts.

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