Play therapy engages children in a therapeutic process using play to explore and express their emotions. It offers a non-threatening environment where kids can communicate their feelings through activities and games. Here are some examples of how it works:
- Symbolic Play: Children use toys and symbols to represent their experiences and emotions.
- Role-Playing: Kids act out scenarios to express their thoughts and feelings.
- Art Therapy: Drawing and crafting help children convey emotions visually.
- Sandplay: Children create scenes in a tray of sand, representing their inner world.
- Storytelling: Kids share stories that reflect their experiences and emotions.
- Puppet Play: Children use puppets to express themselves indirectly.
- Game Play: Therapeutic games encourage communication and emotional expression.
- Therapist Interaction: The therapist interacts with the child, fostering trust and understanding.
- Reflective Listening: The therapist listens actively and validates the child’s feelings.
- Emotion Identification: The therapist helps the child recognize and label emotions.
Play therapy empowers children to process their emotions, build resilience, and find positive ways to cope with challenges. Goally’s tablet and apps aid play therapy, enhancing life skills, language development, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and social skills in children.
This post was originally published on Feb. 13, 2023. It was updated on July 21, 2023.