What Every Play Therapist Needs to Know About Their Sand Tray

The trifecta of sandtray supplies includes the miniatures and tools (everyone’s fav), the sand, and the tray.  

If you want to go all in on miniatures check out my post HERE!  And for a deeper dive into sand check out these posts HERE and HERE! 

And if just thinking about your sand tray and setup has ever given you anxiety....this post is for you! 

When you start to select the perfect tray to bring the whole practice together it can be overwhelming.  There are portable play kits, round trays, beautiful standard size trays, and tubs.  

That’s a lot to choose from AND if you don’t know why the tray is important and the benefits to the different types it can be overwhelming!  I wanted to share with you what I think every play therapist needs to know about the actual sand tray! 

My co-pilots and trusty resources for this post?  Two of my favorite sandtray texts - Advanced Sandtray Therapy and Sandplay Therapy!

There is no one-size-fits-all. Okay, so the traditional Lowenfeld and Kalff trays are typically 19.5 inches x 28.5 inches and 3 inches deep. The size was key so clients could take the entire tray in their visual field without having to move their head.  This size was also preferable because clients could easily access, move, or change the tray from one position. A tray size also limits creativity and provides some necessary therapeutic containment.

However, one of the hard truths of the field is that if we all just stuck to this size there would be a lot of kids out there who wouldn’t benefit from the therapeutic powers of sandtray.  There are so many factors for playing today including budget, multiple offices, small office size, the population you work with, and portability that may make the traditional tray inaccessible.  

So, here are 8 more factors to consider when selecting your sand tray: 

The tray is the container. It provides the literal containment of the world.  It also provides psychological containment.  There is safety in being able to see the world and all four edges within view without having to turn your head. 

Bigger trays have value. A larger tray such as the standard allows you to add more detail to the world and even have sub-scenes within the tray.  Bigger trays also allow for what I call “split trays” where you can do two scenes within the same tray with a divider. In the book Advanced Sandtray Therapy even larger trays than the standard, up to 3 feet by 3 feet, are suggested for family work or trauma.  It is suggested that trauma work can be “overly charged” if created within a smaller tray. 

Smaller trays have value. In group settings or family sessions smaller trays can be used for each family member or group member to have their own individual tray. Smaller trays can be portable for clinicians who do in-home work or travel between different locations. To create increased separation or containment clients may choose to do a scene over several trays including scenes of “before and after” or differing perspectives. In my work with trauma I often find that small trays work well for titration.  I often find that child and teen clients can take a “small bite” of their trauma work and at times the larger tray feels too overwhelming and vulnerable. 

Circle trays have value. For clients struggling with conflicts and dualities the circle tray can promote connectedness and centering.  Some research also shows round trays can yield more reflectedness and exploratory work. Additionally it is suggested that round trays can be beneficial for clients who are more anxious, agitated, ambivalent, or angry. 

Other shapes have value. Some research has shown that square trays allow for more balance and symmetry.  Marshall Lyles will do attachment work in a house shaped tray. Person shaped trays are excellent for somatic, emotional, and physiological exploration. 

Color is important. The blue on the sides of the tray are symbolic of the sky and the bottom water (if the client chooses). In the text Advanced Sandtray Therapy it is suggested that darker blue encourages deeper work, however too dark could stimulate a grief response. A sky that is too light could have the effect of no longer serving as a container. 

Depth is important. 3 inches deep is the standard sandtray depth.  This is so sand can be moved around, can be higher in some places, and objects can be buried.  For some therapists that work with younger populations more depth is necessary because of the splashing of the sand in the tray and the need for greater levels of containment. 

Consider materials. Wood trays with waterproof linings are the classic tray types.  However, plastic trays can be more sturdy, portable, and waterproof. Also many plastic containers can be found in blue.  


Wheeew!  Those are the 9 things I think every play therapist should know about sandtrays.  Hopefully this helps you decide what trays to have available and which ones will work best for your practice! 

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