One of the six games
Distortion Detective
Spotting thinking traps (cognitive distortions)
What the kid practices: Noticing a thought like "Nobody likes me" or "I always mess up." Naming the trap behind it, then checking whether the thought holds up.
Good for: Negative self-talk · Assuming the worst · Black-and-white thinking · Jumping to conclusions
Free. Kids never need an account. Therapists and parents can guide from their own screen.
A good match when the kid is working on: assuming the worst.
The stories
Each story is about a character the kid's age. Because it is about someone else, a kid can think through a hard situation without having to admit it is theirs.
Alex: no reply to a text
Alex texted his friend 3 hours ago asking if they want to hang out this weekend. They still haven't replied.
Jordan: a disappointing test grade
Jordan studied really hard for a math test but got a B minus. Most of his friends got A's.
Riley: laughter in the hallway
Riley walks past a group of kids in the hallway and they burst out laughing right as she passes them.
Sam: cut from the basketball team
Sam didn't make the basketball team after trying out. He practiced all summer to prepare.
Taylor: a best friend sitting with new people
Taylor's best friend has been sitting with different people at lunch all week. They used to always sit with her.
Morgan: a stumble during a presentation
During her class presentation, Morgan stumbled over one word and paused for a few seconds. The rest went fine.
Nolan: believing the homework will never get done
It's Sunday night. Nolan opens his planner and sees four things waiting: a math worksheet due tomorrow, a history reading with questions, a science quiz on Tuesday, and a book report due Friday. He stares at the list, and his chest gets tight.
Carlos: not wanting to stop a game to do chores
It's Saturday morning. Carlos is in the middle of a game when his dad reminds him that the lawn needs mowing before lunch. The yard is pretty big, and it usually takes him about forty minutes. He sits there holding the controller, feeling like the whole day just got ruined.
Jayden: convinced he can skip brushing his teeth
It's bedtime, and Jayden is already under the covers with his phone. His mom calls up the stairs to remind him to brush his teeth. He brushed this morning, and his teeth feel fine. He has skipped a lot of nights lately, and nothing bad has happened yet.
Kayla: focusing on the mistakes when she scored an A
Kayla gets her essay back with a 94 at the top. Next to the grade, her teacher wrote "Strong argument, really clear voice." She also circled three things: two missing commas and one sentence marked "rephrase." Kayla reads the circled parts over and over. When her friend says, "A 94? That's amazing," Kayla says, "It wasn't that good. There are so many red marks."