Have you ever wondered what actually happens in a play therapy room—and whether you can use those tools at home? The good news is you can. You don’t need special toys or training; what children need most is a regulated adult, a safe relationship, and space to explore their inner world through connection and play. 

Behavior is communication and regulation is the foundation for growth. Here are five simple play therapy tools you can use at home to build regulation, emotional literacy, and resilience.

1. Get Regulated First (Co-Regulation is the Foundation)

Before using any tool, pause and check your own nervous system.

Children borrow regulation from us. If your child is escalated and you escalate too, their “downstairs brain” stays in control. But if you slow down, soften your voice, and breathe, their nervous system has something steady to anchor to.

Try this:

• Lower your body to their level

• Take one slow breath before responding

• Say fewer words

Instead of: “Why are you acting like this?”

Try: “I’m right here. Let’s slow this down together.”

Regulation always comes before reasoning.

2. Name It to Tame It (Build Emotional Literacy Through Play)

Naming emotions integrates the brain. In SPT, we actively help children develop emotional vocabulary.

You can do this playfully at home:

Emotion Charades: Act out feelings and guess them. Make it silly and exaggerated.

Feeling Check-Ins: At dinner or bedtime, ask: “If your day had a weather report, what would it be?” “Was today more sunny, stormy, or cloudy?”

When children can name their emotions, they don’t have to express them through behavior.

3. Use Play to Process Big Feelings

Children often process experiences symbolically before they can talk about them directly.

If your child had a hard day:

• Offer blocks, art supplies, or figurines.

• Say, “I wonder what today would look like if we built it.”

• Let them lead.

Avoid correcting or interpreting too quickly. Your role is to observe and stay curious.

In Synergetic Play Therapy™, we trust that children move toward integration when they feel safe enough to explore.

4. Practice Regulation When Calm

Regulation skills are built outside the meltdown.

Think of it like training a muscle. Practice when your child is already regulated.

Try:

• Belly breathing games (put a stuffed animal on their tummy and make it “ride the waves”)

• Slow-motion races

• Rocking, swinging, or rhythmic movement

• I Spy or sensory scavenger hunts

These build nervous system flexibility so that when stress hits, their body has options.

5. Repair After Hard Moments

No parent gets it right every time. And that’s okay.

One of the most powerful play therapy tools isn’t about preventing mistakes — it’s about repairing them.

After a hard interaction, try: “I wish I had handled that differently.” “You didn’t deserve me yelling.” “Can we try that again?”

Repair teaches your child:

• Relationships can handle conflict

• Mistakes don’t equal rejection

• We are still safe with each other

And safety is the foundation of emotional health.

Why These Play Therapy Skills Matter

When you consistently:

• Regulate yourself

• Help your child name emotions

• Stay curious instead of controlling

• Practice skills outside hard moments

• Repair when things go sideways

You are strengthening your child’s nervous system and building their capacity for resilience.

Over time, this leads to:

• Fewer explosive behaviors

• Increased confidence

• Stronger communication

• Better problem-solving

• More connection in your home

Not because you controlled behavior — but because you supported regulation.

When to Seek Additional Support

If your child’s behaviors feel intense, persistent, or are interfering with school, sleep, friendships, or daily life, extra support can make a meaningful difference.

At Play Therapy Connection, our therapists are certified in Synergetic Play Therapy™, a neuroscience-informed, relationship-based model that targets regulation at the nervous system level.

You don’t have to navigate this alone.

💛 If you’d like support learning how to use play therapy tools more intentionally at home, we’d love to connect with you, here.