Workshops for Caregivers

This resource for kindergarten readiness is set up to equip your child with the tools they need for a successful transition to kindergarten using a guided checklist to assess skills across key areas. Learn what to look out for, what’s developmentally common, and the specific ways you can set them up for success this year.

Signing up for this resource will connect you with our Ensemble Therapy and Learning Center email list. You are free to unsubscribe at any time, though we hope what you find there will be useful to you!

This step-by-step guide to creating a portable Cool Down Kit is filled with sensory tools that help children regulate their emotions and energy. We include instructions for 6 customizable DIY items like calming glitter jars, mindfulness crafts, and sensory jewelry.

What’s Inside

• Clear, parent-friendly explanation of what a Cool Down Kit is

• Guidance on introducing and using the kit with children

• A list of sensory items to include

• Step-by-step craft instructions (with materials lists)

• Benefits of each tool explained in accessible language

Ways This Helps Connection

• Encourages self-soothing and emotional awareness

• Strengthens a child’s sense of agency in handling big feelings

• Promotes calming, focus, and attention

• Provides parents and caregivers with practical strategies for co-regulation

• Keeps tools organized and accessible when they’re needed most

Why You’ll Love It
This resource transforms everyday materials into meaningful tools for connection and calm. It makes emotional regulation feel approachable for children and supportive for parents, with activities that are as fun as they are functional. Plus, the kit grows with your child—offering flexible options they can return to again and again.

Signing up for this resource will connect you with our Ensemble Therapy and Learning Center email list. You are free to unsubscribe at any time, though we hope what you find there will be useful to you!

Sometimes the simplest shifts make the biggest difference. This handout shares the core “rules of thumb” from Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), offering parents, caregivers, and professionals practical guiding principles to strengthen relationships with children.

What’s Included

• The “Big Six” CPRT principles (like focus on the donut, not the hole and be a thermostat, not a thermometer)

• Examples of how these rules foster trust, safety, and connection

• Guidelines for responding instead of reacting in challenging moments

• Relational reminders to balance empathy, limits, and encouragement

• Quick tips that make everyday parenting feel more manageable

Ways This Helps Connection

• Encourages more harmony and fewer meltdowns by focusing on needs beneath behaviors

• Builds a child’s self-esteem through validation, encouragement, and presence

• Supports caregivers in setting limits with warmth and consistency

• Creates new opportunities for connection in everyday interactions

Why You’ll Love It
These rules of thumb offer bite-sized wisdom you can carry into daily life. They remind us that parenting doesn’t have to be perfect—it’s about presence, repair, and the little ways we show children they matter most.

Signing up for this resource will connect you with our Ensemble Therapy and Learning Center email list. You are free to unsubscribe at any time, though we hope what you find there will be useful to you!

Children feel most loved and secure when we slow down and give them our full attention. This guide offers parents, caregivers, and professionals practical ways to create meaningful quality time and special play sessions—moments that build trust, joy, and lifelong memories.

What’s Included

• Key principles of child-led play and quality time

• “Be With” Attitudes for fostering presence, empathy, and delight

• Do’s and don’ts for special play that deepen connection

• Adaptations for toddlers, adolescents, and different developmental stages

• Extensive lists of toys, activities, and creative ideas for special play

• Printable appointment cards to schedule and protect special play time

Ways This Helps Connection

• Strengthens the parent–child relationship through shared joy and trust

• Builds a child’s confidence, self-worth, and responsibility by feeling valued and understood

• Encourages self-expression and emotional intelligence through play

• Helps families establish routines that prioritize bonding and reduce stress

Why You’ll Love It
This guide makes it easy to bring more play, joy, and presence into your home or practice. With clear guidance and activity ideas, you’ll feel confident carving out special time that leaves children feeling seen, cherished, and deeply connected.

Signing up for this resource will connect you with our Ensemble Therapy and Learning Center email list. You are free to unsubscribe at any time, though we hope what you find there will be useful to you!

Listening well is one of the most powerful gifts we can give children. This handout introduces the why and how of reflective listening for parents, caregivers, and professionals, helping you create an environment of mutual understanding, care, and connection.

What’s Included

• Clear explanation of reflective listening and its benefits

• Research-based insights on validation, empathy, and trust-building

• “Be With” Attitudes to guide meaningful connection

• Practical tips and memorable “rules of thumb” (like focus on the donut, not the hole!)

• Creative ways to acknowledge children’s feelings with words, writing, art, and play

• Real-life scenarios with sample responses + space to practice your own

Ways This Helps Connection

• Strengthens your bond with children by helping them feel heard and understood

• Models empathy and emotional language children can carry into relationships

• Offers simple, ready-to-use strategies that work in both home and clinical settings

• Builds confidence in responding to big feelings with presence and care

Why You’ll Love It
This guide was created to support you in slowing down, connecting, and truly hearing the children in your life. Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or therapist, these practices invite more ease and joy into everyday interactions

Signing up for this resource will connect you with our Ensemble Therapy and Learning Center email list. You are free to unsubscribe at any time, though we hope what you find there will be useful to you!

Children thrive when they feel a sense of control and independence. This guide introduces the practice of offering choices in everyday moments, showing parents, caregivers, and professionals how choice-giving can reduce conflict, build confidence, and strengthen trust.

What’s Included

• Clear explanation of why choices matter in a child’s development

• Research-based benefits of choice-giving (empowerment, responsibility, reduced power struggles)

• Practical tips for planning ahead and structuring choices that work

• Memorable rules of thumb (like be a thermostat, not a thermometer)

• Real-life scenarios with ready-to-use examples + space to practice your own

Ways This Helps Connection

• Supports children in developing decision-making skills and responsibility

• Reduces daily power struggles, helping preserve the parent–child relationship

• Builds self-esteem through opportunities to feel capable and in control

• Strengthens bonds by showing respect for a child’s preferences and individuality

Why You’ll Love It
This guide makes everyday parenting smoother while helping children grow into confident, capable decision-makers. By practicing choice-giving, you’ll not only reduce stress in your home or classroom—you’ll also deepen your connection with the children in your care.

Signing up for this resource will connect you with our Ensemble Therapy and Learning Center email list. You are free to unsubscribe at any time, though we hope what you find there will be useful to you!

Limits, when set with empathy and consistency, help children feel safe, secure, and cared for. This guide introduces the ACT method—Acknowledge, Communicate, Target—giving parents, caregivers, and professionals a clear strategy and script for setting limits in ways that preserve connection while maintaining boundaries.

What’s Included

• A step-by-step explanation of the ACT Method (Acknowledge, Communicate, Target)

• Guidance on why limits matter for safety, security, and self-control

• Practical “rules of thumb” for setting limits calmly and effectively

• Real-life scenarios with sample limit-setting scripts

• Space to practice applying the ACT method to your own situations

Ways This Helps Connection

• Provides children with a sense of safety and predictability

• Builds self-control and responsibility by letting children experience consequences

• Preserves the caregiver–child relationship even in moments of correction

• Helps caregivers feel more confident setting firm, calm, and consistent boundaries

Why You’ll Love It
This guide turns limit setting from a power struggle into a connection-building practice. With the ACT method in your toolbox, you’ll feel prepared to handle challenges in a way that supports both your child’s growth and your relationship together.

Quick tip: If you’re interested in taking your limit setting to the next level, you can also get our Advanced Limit Setting Guide by clicking the button below!

Signing up for this resource will connect you with our Ensemble Therapy and Learning Center email list. You are free to unsubscribe at any time, though we hope what you find there will be useful to you!

Once you’ve learned the basics of setting limits with empathy, the next step is using choices as consequences. This guide helps parents, caregivers, and professionals put advanced limit setting into practice, offering children real responsibility while keeping boundaries clear.

What’s Included

• Explanation of why choices work as natural consequences

• Key guidelines for choice-giving (calm tone, clear options, consistent follow-through)

• Step-by-step examples of giving choices for common challenges (homework, bedtime, chores, sharing, screen time)

• Practice scenarios with space to create your own

• Relational reminders to calm children first and avoid power struggles

Ways This Helps Connection

• Strengthens a child’s sense of control and accountability

• Preserves the caregiver–child relationship by avoiding battles and shame

• Teaches children that they have freedom to choose their outcomes, within safe limits

• Supports self-control, resilience, and responsibility in everyday life

Why You’ll Love It
This guide empowers you to move from basic limit setting to a more advanced, choice-based approach that invites children to step into responsibility. You’ll feel more confident navigating tough moments without power struggles—and your child will feel respected and capable.

Quick tip: If you want to go back to the basics of limit setting first, you can also add our introductory Limit Setting Guide by clicking the button below!

Signing up for this resource will connect you with our Ensemble Therapy and Learning Center email list. You are free to unsubscribe at any time, though we hope what you find there will be useful to you!