Time to stock your school counseling office with all the games, supplies, and kid-favorite items! We asked Confident Counselor contributors to share their must-have items and organized them into this Ultimate School Counselor Supply list. Starting a new position? Need a refresh? Want to see what you might be missing? Scroll on!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. 

Games For School Counseling

Classical children's games can be adapted easily for counseling.

• Give a strategy when you get an orange card in Candy Land. 
• Use positive self-talk when you go down a chute in Chutes & Ladders or get skipped in Uno. 
• Practice impulse control and focus with Operation or Pickup Sticks. 
• Jenga is the ultimate chameleon counseling game. Great for an intro small group activity where students say something about themselves each time they pull out a block. 

How do you adapt regular games to counseling?

Games for PreK - First Counseling

Most younger students need games with little or no reading and simple directions. Consider Hi Ho Cherry-O, Don't Break the Ice, or Candy Land. Younger groups love playing these games cooperatively, and they are fast-paced enough to keep them engaged.

Helpful Blog Posts

• Games in Counseling - Counseling Essentials
• Using Games in Counseling - Social Emotional Workshop
• 7 Counseling Games for Your Office - Mrs. Bell The Crafty Counselor
• Counseling Games for Kids - The Responsive Counselor

Fidgets

Some of our favorite figets & calming tools.

• Sensory Spiky Glove
• Pencil Top Fidgets
• Fidget Toy
• Pool noodles cut into 1-inch donuts
• Drawing paper and crayons
• Counting box with cotton balls
• Mirror. It can help kids look and see how they are feeling.

Calm Corners

If you don't already and you have room, consider adding a calm corner in your office. It doesn't need to be much. A cozy spot with tools to help students regulate big feelings. 

Try adding breathing boards, mindfulness scripts, or grounding exercises. Don't forget a feelings chart!

Books for School Counseling

Our offices are filled with tons of books we can use in classroom lessons, a small group, or with individual students. If you are looking for the perfect book, check out these searchable SEL book lists:

• SEL Book Database from Social Emotional Workshop
• Big Book Database from Pawsitive School Counselor

Crafts for School Counseling

Stock up on glue sticks, googly eyes, glitter, and smelly markers.

Scrapbooking kits are usually full of goodies.

Drop by the dollar section in Target and grab some containers to organize everything.

Check out our 5 Counseling Activities Using Everyday Items for creative ideas!

Stock Your Prize Box

You can put almost anything in the prize box. Kids love erasers, pencils, sharpeners, and bouncy balls. 

Get Organizing

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click the link and purchase the item, we will receive a small commission. With that said, we only recommend items we have found useful as school counselors and the commission helps us continue to run the site.