Health & Fitness
The Value of Play
Why play is so important to little ones, and what parents need to know about how children communicate their thoughts and feelings.
I met a local pediatrician at a playground a few weeks ago, and we watched our children play and talked about our professions. She mentioned not knowing where to send parents of young children struggling with their parents’ separation or divorce, because “How can you help a four-year-old cope with and talk about divorce?”
Thankfully, we do have a way of knowing how children may be thinking or feeling, even when they may not be able to verbalize their feelings. Play is the language of children. They can speak to us through the use of puppets, toys, drawings, clay, music, movement, drama, masks, and worlds they build in sand. For children adjusting to stressful or traumatic times in their lives, therapists utilize these methods in play therapy. Therapy provides a safe and confidential space for children to share, understand, and normalize their experiences.
By allowing children to play, we can learn so much about them versus if we tried to ask them questions about themselves and their worries or problems. Children tell us about their view of the world just by the choices they make in their play. A play therapist has chosen specific toys that facilitate this process, and often may bring in a specific activity to do with a child depending on his or her presenting issue. Sometimes an entire family is involved in the play therapy session, and other times the therapist may meet first with the child and next with the parents to provide feedback or recommendations. The therapist devises a plan that meets the needs of the child and the family, and works towards meeting the treatment goals throughout the time the child is in therapy.
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A suggestion for parents who are not sure what their child is thinking or feeling, or for a child who is struggling to cope? Get down on the floor and play. Keep quiet as much as possible, and let your children lead you through their world.
For more information on play therapy, visit the Association for Play Therapy: www.a4pt.org. For more about my practice and resources we like, visit www.ServingChildrenAndFamilies.com.
