Have you ever just sat and played with sand?

We have found that children whose emotions rise high can easily calm down just simply sitting and immersing themselves in sand. This is so successful in our school setting that many teachers request a sand tray for their class rooms!. The therapy is very effective and so simple to set up. A child who is angry still needs some support in regulating his or her emotions. The calm distraction of the sand tray works magic!

I would recommend having a tray at home especially if you have a young child who cannot articulate their feelings and who are prone to building up anger very quickly. I find that as the child calms down, talking to the child gently is a way for them to gradually talk about their frustrations and regulate their emotions. Also playing with them in the sand tray gives them a  shared experience with the parent.These sand trays are wonderful also for children on the spectrum who have difficulty in expressing themselves. Sometimes a child will create images in the sand that express their feelings. This makes it easier to talk to them specifically about their problems. Sometimes just simply playing with the sand is therapeutic and regulates high emotions.

Many well stocked educational shops will have the sand that is suitable for this sand tray.

In my office sat a very well used sand tray! 

Simply playing in the sand can reduce stress.

It's all about the sand and the feeling

Sand is magic! The feeling, the sensation in your hand and the sense of control you have with sand is very satisfying.

I once had a group of year six children ready to graduate who wanted a special day dedicated to themselves just to play in the sandpit! They wanted to keep the child alive in them even though the adolescent in them was present ! Look at the beach and watch how children play happily together for hours, just digging!

A wonderful new product is kinetic sand which can be purchased in children shops everywhere. This product is wonderful for those children who just need space when they are overwhelmed by emotions. Having a sand tray at home will give them the freedom to rest mentally and just be!

These sand trays work very well for children on the spectrum or for those children less able to regulate their emotions. If they are kept in a shallow box they can be readily made available when a child needs that space.

I have proudly kept a small sand tray in my office for quite some time. I find those children needing time to recover from heated emotions looks to it for comfort. A little bit of beach life in my office is a wonderful idea!