Therapy Dice, Prompt Spinner and Token Jar for Sessions

Shared dice (numbers or feelings faces), a prompt spinner you can edit, and a token jar that fills toward a goal. Everyone sees the same roll.

Families Groups Name feelings Play therapy Games

Any lengthIn person and on video

Free interactive tool

Link copied – paste it to your client

Made with care by Mentalyc

No sign-upNothing you type is storedIn a Play together room, moves pass through our server only while the room is open.

Use with care

Avoid removing tokens as punishment; agree the reward with the child and caregiver.

How to play

Dice: roll one or two dice, with numbers or feelings faces.
Spinner: spin for a prompt. Edit the prompts in Settings.
Token jar: add a token for effort; reach the goal for the agreed reward.
With Play together, everyone sees the same roll, spin and jar.

About the technique

Dice, spinners and token jars are among the simplest tools in child and family therapy. Games have a long history in play therapy as a way to engage children who would not sit through a conversation, to lower the intensity of personal questions, and to practice turn-taking, following rules, and handling winning and losing (Schaefer & Reid, 2001). A roll or a spin also hands the choice of the next question to chance, so neither the child nor the therapist has to pick what comes up.

The token jar draws on a different tradition. Token reinforcement, from applied behavior analysis, gives an immediate, visible marker for a target behavior that can later be exchanged for an agreed reward, and Kazdin’s review describes token economies used across classrooms, institutions and other settings (Kazdin, 1982). Here the jar is a simple visual counter for effort in session, such as trying a new skill or staying with a hard topic, rather than a full token program.

The evidence is practice-based. Dice and spinners are engagement aids with no evidence of their own, and the research on token systems concerns structured programs rather than a counter used within one session. These aids suit children, teens, families and groups, especially early in treatment or with reluctant clients, and work in person or on video. Write prompts that match the client’s age and readiness, keep a pass option, and never remove earned tokens as punishment; agree on any reward with the child and caregiver ahead of time.

For therapists: how to run it

Goal

Keep sessions playful and structured on video: fair turns, quick prompts and visible progress toward a goal.

In session

Press Play together and send the link so the client sees and taps the same dice or spinner on their device; or share your screen.
Set the jar goal and reward with the child at the start of the session.
Add tokens for effort and trying, out loud: 'That was a brave answer: token!'
Use Session summary at the end to copy the tokens and rolls into your notes.

As homework

Not given as self-guided homework. Use it together in session.

With a group

Press Play together and share the link: anyone can roll or spin, only the host adds tokens.
Use the spinner with your own group prompts (edit them in Settings).

Mandated reporting

Exercises like this can lead to disclosures of abuse, neglect or risk. Know your reporting duties before you start, and pause if one comes up.

Good to know

The small objects therapists miss most on video. Use the dice for turn order or any printed dice-prompt sheet, the feelings dice for quick check-ins, the spinner for your own prompts, and the token jar for effort-based rewards in behavior plans. Tokens should reward effort and participation, not be taken away as punishment.

Worksheets that pair with this tool

Sources & credibility

Method: Session aids: dice, prompt spinner and token jar (token reinforcement)
Developed by: Play-therapy and behavioral practice
Approach: Play therapy / behavioral
Evidence: Practice-based (limited trials)Dice and spinners are simple play aids with no evidence of their own. Token reinforcement is a long-standing behavioral method; here it is a simple visual counter for effort.

References

Schaefer C. E. & Reid S. E. (eds.) (1986; 2nd ed. 2001). Game Play: Therapeutic Use of Childhood Games. Wiley.
Kazdin A. E. (1982). The token economy: a decade later. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 15(3), 431–445. Source

How it was made

Built by the Mentalyc team from the original method and the published sources listed here. Nothing you enter is stored.

Questions people ask

How do you use dice in therapy?

Each number or face links to a question or activity, such as 'Roll a 3: share something that made you laugh'. Feelings dice show faces to name or act out.

Can I use therapy dice on telehealth?

Yes. With shared dice on screen, both you and the client see the same roll, which keeps games fair and fun on video.

What is a token board?

A token board is a visual reward chart where a child earns tokens toward a goal or reward. This tool includes a token jar that fills on screen.

How do you set up a token economy for a child?

Pick one or two clear target behaviors, decide how many tokens each earns and what rewards tokens can buy. Give tokens right after the behavior with specific praise, and fade them gradually once the behavior is steady.

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Your game designer

Michael Thompson, MSc

Michael's background combines doctoral training in clinical psychology with research on motivation, learning, and emotional regulation.

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