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Make Spring Break Count: Play Therapy-Inspired Activities for Every Age

Updated: 7 days ago


You don't need expensive outings or fancy crafts to make spring break meaningful. Play therapy teaches us that simple, intentional play is one of the most powerful tools for connection and growth. Here are a few of our favorite therapist-approved activities for every age group to try out this spring break.


Babies & Toddlers (0–2 Years): Bonding With Your Little One

  • Tummy time with mirrors, funny faces, and eye contact.

  • Sensory bins with rice or beans — hide small toys for a treasure hunt.

  • Bubble play, dance parties, and water play in the tub.

  • Gently brush cotton balls along baby's arms and cheeks for calm and connection.

Ages 2–5: Imagination and Early Learning

  • Animal walks — hop like a frog, slither like a snake, stomp like a dinosaur

  • Freeze dance: stop the music to freeze, play it to move

  • Sticker stories: lay stickers on paper and build a world together

  • Science experiment: mix vinegar, baking soda, and food coloring and watch it fizz!

  • Set up a pretend store, doctor's office, or restaurant with household items


School-Age Kids: Feelings Through Play

  • Feelings Jenga: Write prompts on blocks ("A time I felt proud," "Act out a feeling"). Answer the prompt on each pulled block

  • Worry Box: Kids draw or write worries and place them in a decorated box — externalizing anxiety gives children a sense of control

  • Emotion Charades: Act out feelings and guess them together

  • Connection Before Direction: Before any transition or chore, spend 60 seconds playing something your child chooses. It reduces power struggles and strengthens your bond


Tweens & Teens: Expression and Identity

  • Playlist of Emotions: Create a playlist representing different feelings or life chapters and reflect on what each song means.

  • Values Card Sort: Write values on cards and sort them as a family — a great conversation starter about what matters most.

  • Mood Comic Strips: Draw a situation and how you felt, thought, or responded. Humor makes emotional reflection feel safe.

  • Vision Board: Create a physical or digital board of hopes, goals, and dreams.



Want to learn more about play therapy or our family services? Visit thechangeclinic.org.

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