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Sandtray Therapy
Sandtray therapy (sometimes called sandplay therapy) is an expressive and humanistic therapeutic approach that enables individuals—children and adults alike—to create symbolic scenes using sand, water, and miniature figures in a contained tray (e.g., a sandbox). This can be for both children and adults.
Research demonstrates the effectiveness of sandtray therapy across various contexts:
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A randomized controlled trial found that sandstray therapy reduced anxiety, social withdrawal, and behavioral problems in school-age children with chronic illnesses, while also easing anxiety and depression among their caregivers.
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A systematic review and meta-analysis showed significant improvement in social communication for children with autism spectrum disorder when sandtray therapy was administered weekly for around 22–28 weeks
References
Tan, J., Yin, H., Meng, T., & Guo, X. (2021). Effects of sandplay therapy in reducing emotional and behavioral problems in school-age children with chronic diseases: A randomized controlled trial. Nursing Open, 8, 3099–3110. PMC
Yuxi, R. (2024). A systematic review of the effect of sandplay therapy on social communication deficits in children with ASD. [Journal]. PMC
Tee-Melegrito, R. A. (2022, April 26). Sand tray therapy: Definition, uses, and techniques. Medical News Today. Medical News Today
Gladding, S. (2010). In Play therapy entry—background on sandplay’s Jungian roots. Wikipedia.