Your clingy child won’t play independently? In this post, you’ll learn how play therapists help increase kids capacity for play – and how you can too at home. A parent I was working with once said, “My child would still … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Playlistening
Why the Best Response for Bored Kids is to Be Bored With Them
Inside: What things can you do when a child says they are bored? We’ve all been there. In the middle of a holiday or a weekend or a long, rainy day and your child says “I’m bored.” What??? Of course … Continue reading
Yes! You Can Playlisten When your Child is Upset
Yes! You can play when your child is upset. Here’s how: Your child grabs the one extra cookie you said he wasn’t allowed… What do you do? Or your daughter whines the minute she sees you pull out peanut butter … Continue reading
How I Overcame Getting Dressed Issues with my Sensory-Sensitive Child
A guest post by Ana Maria Porumbaceanu My son is diagnosed with sensory issues so getting dressed is a daily challenge for all the family. One morning, I wanted to take the kids out for a walk, so we could have … Continue reading
Rethinking Tickling: Why You Might Want To Rethink Tickling Kids
Tickling seems like a good, reliable route to laughter and fun, so why might we suggest rethinking it? Today on the podcast the Elle and Abigail talk about Hand in Hand’s approach to tickling and how they tackled it in … Continue reading
Why Has My Little Boy Become Violent?
A Guest Post by Michelle Kokel Dear Hand in Hand, Please help. My 4-year-old son has had a turbulent time at pre-school and has become very aggressive. I am seeing this as an issue around separation. We have increased Special … Continue reading
These Four Rules of Play Help Kids Shine
We’ve all read research and articles promoting play, but play is more than independent play or playing with siblings or friends. For sure, kids benefit from those ways to play, but playing with parents and caregivers gives additional benefits. Kids … Continue reading
My Child Calls Me “Mean Mom.” What Should I Do?
It’s a Monday morning, everyone is grumpy, and your child does not want to get out of bed. “You’re so mean!” your child shouts as you tell her it’s time to get up. “I hate you!” These words seem made … Continue reading
Play Works Better Than Punishment When It Comes to Sibling Fighting
Sibling rivalry can be really difficult for parents to see – and the conventional view is that we should respond with disapproval, threats of punishment, or other stern actions. However, once we understand that a child who is lashing out is actually feeling stuck – that their emotional brain has some hard feelings to offload – we can start to think about these off-track behaviours in a different way.
3 of the Best Ways For Kids to Play
As they move from play dough to playground and from dress up to dodgeball, it may seem like our children spend their whole day playing. And that’s great. But some of the best ways to play will be the play … Continue reading
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