Story-Making Picture Cards complete therapy resource page

Play Therapy · PT-02

Story-Making Picture Cards

Combine pictures to invent, change, or simply explore a story in your own way.

Clinical review required
Ages 5-1210-25 minutesCardsComplete page
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Full-resolution WebP artwork with print-safe margins. Review the guidance below before use.

How to use it

  1. Choose one or more picture cards, or ask for cards to be chosen at random.
  2. Tell, draw, act, arrange, or leave the story unfinished.
  3. Change any character, event, feeling, or ending; you may also swap or pass on a card.
  4. Stop or begin a different story whenever you want.

Reflection prompts

  • What possibilities could happen next?
  • Was there anything you wanted to change, protect, add, or leave unknown?

Facilitator guidance

Follow the child's lead and describe observable play without assigning hidden meaning. A character, object, sequence, or theme is not evidence of biography, trauma, intent, or diagnosis; seek clarification only through open, non-leading invitations.

Adaptations & accessibility

  • Offer a smaller card set, visual choice board, or single-card story.
  • Allow nonverbal sequencing, AAC, drawing, puppet play, or collaborative narration.
  • Include blank cards and culturally relevant images selected with the child.

Review considerations

Licensed play-therapy and cultural-responsiveness review required before use; symbolic choices must not be over-interpreted or treated as disclosure without independent assessment.

This is a layout-complete draft. Complete the stated clinical, accessibility, and local-policy review before client use or publication.