Why play?

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”

- Fred Rogers

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Play is important for all parts of children's development including cognitive, social and emotional and physical development.

Through play children learn how to be independent, how to connect with others socially, how to share, problem solve and negotiate and have fun. Children learn about theirs and others' emotions and they they learn about and develop language through play.​

Importantly, through play we can get to know our children more deeply and gain a rich insight into what their individual experience of the world might be.  

What is play therapy?

“Toys are children’s words and play is their language”

— Garry Landreth​

Play therapy works with and through children’s native language of play and, within the context of a safe, accepting and attuned therapeutic relationship, offers children the opportunity to process and integrate challenges, work through stages of development and explore and express their internal world.

Play therapy holds a strong evidence base and works with and through the therapeutic powers of play to foster emotional wellness, enhance social relationships, increase personal strengths and facilitate communication. It is a culturally and developmentally appropriate intervention which has been shown to be effective in both preventing challenges and overcoming difficulties.

BEnefits of play therapy

Play therapy can support children:

  • build social skills and develop friendships

  • manage anxiety or big worries

  • increase self-confidence and self-esteem

  • deal with changes in their lives including parental separation, transition to school or high school

  • work through the impacts of traumatic or stressful experiences

I work with children from 3 to 13 years old using Humanistic Play Therapy, Learn to Play and Filial Play Therapy depending on the needs of your child and family. Please get in touch to discuss play therapy with your child.

Research on the effectiveness of play therapy can be found here.