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Holiday Themed Therapy Games

Writer's picture: Tasha MilliganTasha Milligan
This is a list of counseling games with holiday themes including Christmas, New Years, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and St Patricks Day.

Sometimes you need a special game for a special occasion. I have worked on a round-up of holiday counseling games you can play with your clients. While holidays can be exciting, they can also be sources of grief, worries, and challenges. These games can also offer time to reflect and work on developing new skills.


This list of games includes those you can play in person, online for telehealth, and games to use with groups. As always, these games are all under $20.

New you In the New Year is a goal setting game to help children make steps to achieve their goals.

by Pathways to Peace

This game helps kids identify goals and put together realistic steps to achieve their goals. It also focuses on time management and organization to help them stay on track.


Valentine's Day Feelings Counseling Game

by Music City Counselor

This one offers 30 different social scenarios and has children choose an emoji to show a response. The heart emojis are so cute! You can print it out or play it online via Google Slides.


Share your heart with those you love is a counseling game to build connection and warmth in relationships.

by Pathways to Peace

This game is about fostering warmth and connection in relationships. It challenges players to share their needs and desires in the relationship, process hurts, and to be intentional about showing appreciation for their loved ones. This can be used for group, individual, and family sessions.


 

Creative ways to use angry birds in play therapy
 

Valentine's day conversation game for social skills.

by Counselor Chelsey

This is a game to help children work on communication and social skills with a festive Valentine's theme. It is helpful for children with autism and social anxiety to work on engaging in conversation and becoming more comfortable with verbal articulation.



by Monday Morning Resources

This Google Slides activity will help children work on emotional awareness and build their emotional vocabulary. This is perfect for telehealth sessions. It includes 15 slides and is best with lower elementary-aged children.


St Patricks Day Feelings Game

by Music City Counselor

This is a cute and inexpensive game to help children learn to articulate feelings. Children read situation cards and choose emojis to express how they would feel in the given situation. It comes with a printable version and a Google Slides version that can be played online.


St Patrick's Day SEL Feelings and Emotions Bingo Game

by The Fancy Counselor

These are cute printable bingo cards with a variety of designs to encourage communication and discussion of emotions. You can grab a copy for $2 on TPT.


Spring counseling card deck with affirmations and prompts for discussion.

by Stumped Speech and Rooted Resilience

These card decks feature beautiful art! They also include affirmations and questions on the cards to prompt discussion. These are perfect for spring.


4th of July Fireworks Emotion and Feelings Bingo

by CreativeCOTA LLC

This resource is a skill-building game to help children learn co-regulation, emotional expression, building coping skills, and learning consequences for their actions.


 

Why play games in therapy? An in-depth article about the power of play and how games can lead to healing and emotional growth.
 

Back to School UNO like game for Teens

by Heart & Mind Counseling Resources

This card game would help establish rapport and get back into the swing of things when school starts. The card topics focus on personal values, favorite activities, friendships, and goals.


School Zone is a counseling game to help children deal with school stressors.

by Pathways to Peace

School Zone is a game to help children cope with school stressors. It addresses impulse control and attention issues, behavior problems, social anxiety, bullying, and many other school-related issues.


Halloween is a game for children ages 5-8 to work on social and coping skills, emotional expression, and regulation.

by SlayingSchoolPsych

This game covers coping skills, social skills, choices, and personal questions. It is best for the little ones.



by Pathways to Peace

This game helps children overcome fears, phobias, and anxiety by utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy skills such as thought-stopping and replacement, rescripting, and challenging irrational thoughts. It is available as a hard copy, PDF download, and Google Slides for online sessions.


by Pathways to Peace

Thankful Heart focuses on positivity by identifying things players are thankful for, positive memories, meaningful relationships, and strengths. This incorporates CBT skills to redirect thoughts to positive things.


 

a list of counseling games you can play for free
 

Thanksgiving Gratitude Game for middle school students

by Love City Counseling

This game challenges kids to identify things they are grateful for. It has scenario cards to prompt discussion. This one comes via Google Slides, which allows you to play online for telehealth sessions, or you could use a device to use it in person.


Merry & Bright is a Christmas-themed game to foster connection and meaningful experiences for families and to help children express their needs, traditions, and values.

by Pathways to Peace

Children will explore favorite holiday memories, important relationships, and desires of their hearts while engaging in this game. It is great for fostering connections and building relationships within families.


Christmas Go Fish game

by Social Work Creations

This is a cute and simple game for Christmas time. This one has different emotions for the children to match, building their emotional vocabulary and ability to express themselves when upset.


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