Engaging Online Therapy Games and Activities for Kids, Teens, & Adults
- Jennie Lannette Bedsworth, MSW, LCSW
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
These engaging online therapy games and creative apps can help keep your client connected to your sessions, and to you.
During my first online session with a kiddo, I quickly learned that virtual therapy isn’t as easy as it looks. My client kept looking off screen, yelling questions to Mom about their cat, who kept yelling back, telling him to focus on his session. My next appointment with a 14-year-old went even worse. Maybe you too are familiar with the blank stare of someone who is secretly looking at a different browser instead of at you on screen.
I quickly learned that we would need some type of interactives that would encourage and at times require my clients to stay engaged with me, instead of all the distractions around them. Unfortunately I was still pretty limited, working in games of I Spy and occasionally sharing worksheets on screen. That went better, but I wouldn’t say great.
Fast forward a few years. I began researching more interactive therapy options. I developed a catalog of online therapy games and activities to choose from, including many I created myself. Here are some I recommend, including those from others as well as my own. Using engaging online pay therapy tools, therapy games, and other virtual activities allowed me to keep my clients interested and connected with me instead of all the distractions around them. I highly recommend any of these tools for your clients of all ages. If you give them a try let me know what you think!
Online Sand Tray Options
We owe the idea of sand tray and sand play to pediatrician Margaret Lowenfield, and psychotherapist Dora Kalff. They built on the ideas of Carl Yung, creating the safe structure of the tray and the miniatures to fill them. The sand represents the earth, while the blue box represents water and sky.
So how do you take this tactile experience and make sand tray work for telehealth? There are actually a few cool ways to do it, and you can try them all for free.
Virtual Sand Tray by Online Therapy Tools
First, the classic virtual sand tray from Online Therapy Tools (www.onlinetherapytools.com) gives an authentic “therapist office” feel, modeled after the structure of the sand tray world. It’s set in the context of a therapy office and allows participants to pull down miniatures from the shelf and place them, much like the real thing. There are also options to rake the sand or add water. If you’re into sand tray or want to learn more, definitely check it out. You can even use it in-person with your clients!
Paper Sand Tray Miniatures by The Counseling Palette
Another option is to have your clients create their own sand tray at home. They don’t even need sand–simple salt will do as a substitute. I recommend a small baking dish such as those you can get at the dollar store. They can then add rocks, their own plastic figurines, and paper miniatures. To add more diversity, download this set of printable miniatures and assign it as homework for your client to print and assemble. As you client creates a world during their session they can periodically show it on camera or send you a picture.
Therapeutic Drawing & Painting Tools
Another really cool way to add life to your online therapy sessions is through art. Many telehealth platforms like Zoom and SimplePractice offer a whiteboard feature where your clients can use the free drawing and shape features to create images. One of my coolest therapy sessions resulted in “Arrow Man,” a Zoom-created creature that knew how to be assertive without getting aggressive. It worked well enough, but since then I’ve gone to a more therapeutic drawing tool. Here’s how it works.
3. Expression Canvas by Online Therapy Tools
This creative canvas has more of an “art therapy” look than the corporate-style whiteboards. Clients can choose from pencil, painting, or even splatter options to express themselves. The entire rainbow of colors and beyond is available to choose from. You can witness your clients create their images on screen. You really have to see it to get the feel of it and you can check it out here.
4. Sand Mandala Maker by Online Therapy Tools
Sand tray wasn’t the only therapeutic activity inspired by Carl Jung. He believed that the mandala was an intuitive tool to explore the inner psych and at one point he himself drew a different mandala every day. This online sand mandala maker is one part relaxation and one part psychoanalytic. The “sand” feature is inspired by the sand mandalas still created by some Buddhist experts. After completion of the mandala the sand is symbolically swept up, representing the impermanence of the moment.
Emotions Wheels
I can’t think of many therapist offices I’ve been in or even seen pictures of that didn’t have an emotion wheel in one form or another! It’s a great foundational tool to help clients identify and validate their own feelings and experiences. You can interact and work with emotion wheels online and in teletherapy too.
5. Custom Emotion Wheel by Online Therapy Tools
This spinnable emotion wheel has basic emotions listed along with physical sensations, triggers, and potential coping skills. Even better, clients can crate their own wheel at Online Therapy Tools and download a copy to reference. It includes sections to identify and list physical sensations (such as face turning red when you’re embarrassed) as well as coping skills like talking to a friend or taking a deep breath.
Therapeutic Tabletop Games & Cards
Ever play Jenga or Uno with your clients and incorporated discussion prompts? They make great icebreakers as well as review for topics like CBT, DBT skills, and general coping. If you think you can’t quite get that in-person feel online, you might be wrong! Here are some options to check out.
6. Tumbling Prompts by Online Therapy Tools
This game is similar to tumbling blocks where you stack the blocks and try not to knock them over. Before you choose a block you or your client answers a prompt that comes up on screen. They then try to avoid the trap block that knocks the tower down while looking for the winning block to wrap up the game. It’s made to play multiple sessions quickly, so it’s also a great way to encourage clients to keep playing even when they don’t like to lose.
7. Therapeutic Bingo by Online Therapy Tools
If you work with a lot of groups, or even one, Online Bingo can be a fun way to engage clients in sessions. Each player gets a link that generates a random card just like in real Bingo. But when a number on their card is called they must answer the corresponding prompt. When they click on their space a prompt comes up on screen. The prompts are drawn from various evidence-based therapies like CBT, DBT, and ACT.
You can even play the game in-person if your clients have screens. Or, just use one screen to call and track the numbers while your clients use real Bingo cards from any set. This online Bingo game uses real game numbers so it’s all compatible!
8. Virtual Coping Skills: Humans Against Stress
Humans Against Stress is a popular printable card game that allows you and your clients to browse and match up coping skills with common challenges. Virtual Humans Against Stress by Online Therapy Tools allows your clients to play on-screen and online as well. You can even play with multiple players as a group online, simply by hosting and sharing your own screen. It’s popular with teens in particular but can work for just aboutall ages.
Jeopardy-Style Therapy Games
Jeopardy-style games are great for in-person play or online. You can create your own board on a whiteboard or display one on screen in a classroom or meeting room or virtually. There are many Jeopardy-style games made for therapeutic use. Here are some ideas!
9. Jeopardy-Style Therapy Game Shows by The Counseling Palette
If you have PowerPoint and a computer these Jeopardy-style games are fun, easy-to-use game shows built on themes like CBT, DBT, and coping skills. The questions are discussion based, rather than actually quiz-like, so there are generally no right or wrong answers. Just open up the game(s), split your clients into teams (or they can play individually) and enjoy fun discussions!
10. Jeopardy-Style Games by Online Therapy Tools
Online therapy tools also offers virtual Jeopardy-style games that require a bit less setup. All you need is a screen–no software required. Just log in and open up the screen for your in-person or online therapy groups. Similar to the Counseling Palette games, the questions are based on a theme and created for open-ended discussion.
Engage & Enjoy!
Fortunately we're maturing beyond the early days of online therapy where it was a watered down subtitute for in-person use. While they're not perfect, virtual therapy session still offer a chance for meaningful engagement and healing. Don't be afraid to try out different tools as each client may engage differently. Feel free to reach out if I can answer any questions for you!
About the Author
Jennie Lannette Bedsworth is a licensed therapist and the creator of The Counseling Palette, a trusted source for therapy games, group therapy activities, and printables. With two decades of experience in the mental health field, Jennie designs resources that make therapy engaging, effective, and accessible for all ages. Ready to transform your sessions? Explore our collection of therapy tools at The Counseling Palette.
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