Sandtray therapy is a powerful tool, allowing clients to express emotions, process experiences, and explore their inner worlds through symbolic representation. Central to this therapeutic modality are the miniatures—the tiny figures and objects that fill the tray with meaning. For therapists, the challenge isn’t just about having enough miniatures; it’s about having the right miniatures.
Why Therapists Know Best
Therapists work closely with clients and observe firsthand the symbolic gaps in their sandtray collections. These gaps often include:
- Diversity: Representations of people from various cultural backgrounds, body types, abilities, and identities.
- Emotional Pieces: Objects or figures that capture complex emotions like grief, hope, or resilience.
- Specialized Needs: Unique items that fit the themes or experiences of specific client populations, such as trauma survivors or children with developmental differences.
Because of this, therapists are the best source of inspiration for understanding what miniatures truly matter in a sandtray setting.
The Hunt for the Perfect Miniatures
Finding these specific miniatures can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Diversity and emotional expression are often underrepresented in commercially available miniatures, leaving therapists frustrated or forced to create their own workarounds.
That’s where Serendipity Sand & Play Shop steps in.
How Serendipity Sand & Play Shop Helps Therapists
At Serendipity Sand & Play Shop, we’re on a mission to bridge the gap between therapists and the perfect miniatures for their clients. Here’s how we do it:
1. Searching High and Low
We scour sources far and wide to add the most inclusive, expressive, and unique miniatures to our shop. When therapists reach out with requests, we actively work to find the specific items they need.
2. Creating Custom Miniatures with Our 3D Printers
Sometimes, the perfect miniature doesn’t exist—yet. That’s why we love collaborating with therapists to bring their ideas to life. Using our trusty “droids” (3D printers), we can design and produce custom miniatures based on your suggestions.
- First One’s Free: If we create a miniature based on your idea, you’ll receive the very first one at no cost!
- Submission Made Simple: Have an idea? Share it with us using our submission form: Submit Your Ideas.
Your Ideas Matter
Every miniature added to a sandtray collection represents a possibility—a chance for a client to find their story, express their feelings, or envision hope. By sharing your ideas with us, you help expand what’s possible in sandtray therapy.
Whether it’s a figurine representing a wheelchair user, an object symbolizing loss, or an entirely new concept, your contributions can make a difference not just for your clients, but for therapists and clients everywhere.
Let’s Build a Better Sandtray Collection Together
At Serendipity Sand & Play Shop, we believe in empowering therapists with the tools they need to make a meaningful impact. By combining our passion for creating with your insight as a therapist, we can ensure every sandtray tells the story it needs to.
Therapists just like yourself have already added to the store. Anna Johnson from Texarkana, TX mentioned a request for a broken home was brought up in her sandtray room. We went to work brainstorming and made it happen! Jenn Lowe posted on social media the need for diversity among homes and her difficulty in finding a mobile home miniature. We exchanged ideas and brought to life the mobile home in our store. Carmen Jimenez-Pride took the direct path suggesting to me at the 2024 Sandtray Summit that a smaller rainbow would be a great addition and then a couple months later requested the creation of a FAFO sign. Following this we created a place where anyone can submit their ideas.
Have a miniature idea? Don’t wait—submit it today: Submit Your Ideas. Let’s shape the future of sandtray therapy, one miniature at a time.
If you have any questions or need help finding the right miniatures, reach out. We’re always here to help!