Tabletop roleplaying as occupational therapy
A clinical programme that uses storytelling and tabletop games to help children build confidence, social skills, and emotional regulation — aimed at groups in schools and alternative provisions.
More than just playing a game
Tabletop roleplaying games — like Dungeons & Dragons, Hero Kids, and collaborative storytelling systems — provide a structured, low-stakes space where children can practise real-world skills through character and narrative. The game is the medium, not the goal.
Unlike a traditional therapy session, the session looks and feels like play. Children are far more willing to try, fail, negotiate, and collaborate when they are "in character" — and those experiences transfer directly into daily life. For anxious, autistic, or socially isolated young people, that shift in context can make all the difference.
Social Participation
Emotional regulation
Executive function
Self-advocacy and confidence
Children practise turn-taking, listening, negotiation, and reading social cues in a context where the rules of the game support those very skills.
Managing frustration, tolerating uncertainty, and recovering from setbacks are built into every session through narrative challenge and peer support.
Planning actions, tracking information, and sequencing decisions within the game mirror the same cognitive demands children face in everyday school tasks.
Having a voice in a shared story — making choices that matter, being heard by peers — builds the kind of confidence that carries into classrooms and social situations.
Led by an occupational therapist
Little Steps, Big Adventures is not a general wellbeing gaming club. Each programme is planned and delivered by an HCPC-registered paediatric occupational therapist with years of clinical experience. Every session has a therapeutic aim, and progress is observed and documented throughout.
The game system is chosen to match the group — Hero Kids for younger or more anxious children, Game to Grow approaches for socially complex groups, and D&D 5e for older or more confident players. Session structure follows established therapeutic principles around safety, predictability, and graduated challenge.
Because this programme is delivered by a registered OT, it can sit alongside — and feed into — a child's wider therapy, EHCP, or school support plan. We can provide written summaries and contribute directly to EHCP evidence where needed.
Flexible packages
Taster Block
Core programme
Full year programme
A single six-week block to see how the programme works in your setting.
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Six weekly sessions of 90 minutes each
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Group of up to 5 young people
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OT-led with therapeutic session planning
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End-of-block summary report
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Suitable for mainstream and AP settings
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Includes
Pre-programme group profile meeting with SENCO
Post-block written summary for school records
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Contact for pricing
Per six-week block · on your site
Two consecutive blocks across a term, with full OT documentation.
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Two six-week blocks (12 sessions total)
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Group of up to 5 young people
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Goal-setting at outset aligned to each child's needs
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Progress notes and mid-point check-in
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Includes
Initial SENCO or SEND team meeting
Parent/carer information sheet
EHCP-aligned outcome reporting where required
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Contact for pricing
Per two-block programme · on your site
Full year programme
Ongoing provision across three terms, embedded as part of your school's therapeutic offer.
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Three blocks across the academic year
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Group composition can evolve each term
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Regular liaison with school SEND team
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Termly written reports per child
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Suitable for use as part of SEND support planning
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Includes
Annual review contribution available on request
Consultation support between blocks
Priority scheduling for the following academic year
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Contact for pricing
Full academic year · on your site
Things schools usually want to know
Which young people is this suitable for?
The programme works well for autistic young people, those with social anxiety, children who find group work difficult, or young people who are socially isolated. It is not a behaviour programme and is not designed for children who present a risk to others in a group setting. We can discuss suitability as part of the initial conversation.
Do children need any prior experience of roleplaying games?
No. The game system is introduced gradually, and each session is shaped around what the group can manage. For younger or more anxious children, the early sessions are very light-touch and focus on building safety and familiarity before the game gets more involved.
What does a session actually look like?
Sessions last around 90 minutes. They begin with a brief check-in, move into the game narrative, and close with a brief reflection. The games are collaborative — there is no competition between players. Therapeutic aims are monitored throughout and adjusts the narrative accordingly.
Can this count towards EHCP provision?
Because the programme is delivered by a registered occupational therapist, it can support EHCP evidence and we can contribute to annual review documentation. This is something to discuss with your SENCO and the young person's EHCP co-ordinator, as individual circumstances vary.
What are your travel arrangements?
Little Steps South West is based in Yate, South Gloucestershire. We deliver sessions in schools across South Gloucestershire, North Bristol, and surrounding areas. Travel outside this area is considered on request — get in touch to discuss.