Playful Minds - Psychotherapy For Children Through Play

04/08/2026

Sharing is such a valuable, lifelong skill, but it’s also one of the hardest for children to learn. It asks a lot of them: self regulation, communication, patience, empathy, and the ability to hold someone else’s needs alongside their own. That’s a huge developmental load.

Here are some reasons why sharing can feel so challenging....

https://playful-minds.com/2026/08/04/why-sharing-is-so-hard-for-children-and-how-we-can-support-them/

Explore why sharing challenges occur in early childhood and how adults can support regulation, reciprocity, and turn‑taking through play‑based strategies.

03/08/2026

Big emotions can feel overwhelming, for both children and their parents. If your child is having a hard time with meltdowns, frustration, impulsivity, or big reactions – evidence based support can make daily life feel calmer and more predictable.

At Playful Minds, we build the developmental foundations that influence behaviour: self regulation, flexibility, problem solving, emotional awareness, and executive functioning. And we do it all through play!!!

Every session is paced at your child’s developmental level, using their strengths, interests, and unique way of being.

We also support parents and schools with clear, practical strategies.

Sessions facilitated by APPTA registered and Master’s trained Child Play Therapist

No waitlist · No diagnosis or referral needed · Suitable for NDIS plan and self managed participants

Located in Maroochydore

www.playful-minds.com

Humanistic play therapy for children on the Sunshine Coast, supporting emotions, friendships, play skills and school readiness.

30/07/2026

Have you ever watched children play and wondered why they suddenly switch ideas, roles, pace, or even the whole storyline? Those playful shifts are building one of the most important executive function skills: cognitive flexibility 🧠

27/07/2026

🙅Does your child refuse to take their medicine?
🤢Many children struggle due to taste sensitivity, sensory discomfort, fear, or previous medical trauma.

💊My latest article explores why medicine refusal happens and offers calm, playful ways to make the experience easier for everyone.
https://playful-minds.com/2026/07/27/child-refusing-medicine-help/

How to help children take medicine using calm, playful techniques. Includes tips for taste sensitivity, anxiety, and medical trauma support.

25/07/2026

🐻 Did you know puppet play and animating characters are directly linked to developing theory of mind?
If you have ever watched a child chat to a toy or give a figurine a whole personality, this video explores why those moments matter, and how they build perspective‑taking, empathy, and early social understanding.

22/07/2026

School refusal and separation anxiety is rising in early childhood settings, but the solution isn’t more strategies. It’s understanding the relational systems around the child.

In my latest article, I explore the three key relationships that shape a child’s ability to separate confidently: their relationship with the school environment, their home and family, and their relationship with themselves. When even one of these areas is under strain, separation becomes significantly harder.

School refusal and separation anxiety in early childhood often stem from three key relationships in a child’s world: their connection with school, their home environment, and their relationship with themselves. When these areas are supported, children separate more confidently.

09/07/2026

🚽Toileting challenges are so common, and often so misunderstood!

Understanding why toileting feels hard for children and how to support them with gentle, practical, child‑friendly strategies.

07/07/2026

Do you have a child aged between 4-12 who would like to be on playschool?

Play School are looking for children from every state in Australia to appear in our “Through the Windows” films. The films will feature in an upcoming series called “Things To Do”.

For more info and to apply, check out the link in the comments. 👇

07/07/2026

Access to high quality pretend play with an attuned and sensitive adult is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children!

17/06/2026

🧐Around this time every year parents and educators start asking: “Will this child be ready for school next year?”

It’s a big question, and it deserves more than just an opinion - which is why I have written this article.

I want to be clear, however, this is NOT just my personal opinion. It’s what neuroscience and developmental research consistently show us.

What if I told you the secret to school readiness wasn’t teaching children to sit still, follow routines, write their name, count to 20, be “good at listening”, or put their shoes on independently?

Science tells us something very different. The real foundations of school readiness aren’t found in checklists or early academics. They are found in the deeper developmental systems that help children regulate emotions, think flexibly, communicate, and connect with others.

School readiness is something that develops from the inside out.

And at the heart of that development is one powerful driver...
PRETEND PLAY

Discover how pretend play builds the deep developmental foundations behind school readiness, from emotional regulation to flexible thinking.