Children

Play is a child’s language, and toys are a child’s words

Play therapy is a type of psychotherapy that communicates through play instead of words. It’s an ideal approach for children between three to 12 years old who haven’t fully developed the verbal skills needed for traditional talk therapy. It’s also a fun and engaging way for children to grow and develop in a therapeutic capacity.

Play therapy is therapeutic play, and occurs within the context of a meaningful relationship with the therapist. In play therapy, the child uses toys and play to express his or her problems, worries and challenges. The therapist is trained to understand a child’s play and to communicate with a child through play in order to resolve these concerns.

There are many different types of play therapy, and most are based in traditional approaches like Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, etc. Research shows that play therapy can be as effective as traditional talk therapy. If you would like to learn more about the effectiveness of play therapy, click here.