By Grace Hill, MSW, LCSW
Take a moment and imagine your 4-year-old child starts to have trouble sleeping, trouble getting along with friends, and saying things like “I’m dumb” or “everyone hates me!”
You have heard that therapy could be helpful, so you bring him to an office that looks way too big for him. You leave the room, and the therapist asks him to sit still on the couch and tell her what he has been feeling at home and school. She asks him to describe why he has been getting mad at friends.
If you have a young child, you might laugh at this request. While some children can say they feel “angry” or “sad,” they often shut down or become distracted when asked to go deeper. Even older children often lack the abstract thought or problem-solving skills needed to self-reflect like adults. Their brains haven’t developed enough to have these skills yet.
Why Play is a Child’s Natural Language
Children learn behavior, thought, and relational patterns through playful interactions, modeling, and practice. If you pay close attention, you might notice this in action:
- Processing Rules: Your son plays “teacher” and tells his stuffed animals all the classroom rules.
- Modeling Caregivers: Your daughter corrects her friends’ behaviors in the exact same way you correct hers.
- Working Through Stress: After a flu shot, your child gives her dolls a shot and tells them, “You were so brave!”
- Reflecting Emotions: A child overhears your frustration and later says, “I’m so stupid!” when his block tower falls.
In Play Therapy, a licensed clinician witnesses these moments, points them out, and provides reflection to help the child build an understanding of their thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Just like in adult therapy, we are building awareness, insight, communication, and new skills, we are just using the child’s native language to do it.
Beyond “Just Having Fun”
Play Therapy is a researched approach used to treat challenges like ADHD, anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma. When you walk into a Play Therapy office, you will see a curated selection of:
- Art supplies for creative expression.
- Sand trays and sensory items for emotional regulation.
- Imaginative toys and books to act out real-world scenarios.
All these items serve a specific purpose: helping the child express the thoughts and feelings that are inside. Beyond the playroom, we also coach parents and caregivers to utilize playfulness and limit-setting to build healthy connection and co-regulation at home.
So, next time you notice your child “just playing,” think of all the ways they are processing their world and building their brains!
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has received extensive training in Play Therapy. If you are interested in learning more about Play Therapy or other therapeutic approaches for your child, please don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email to schedule a free consultation!
