5 Easy Ways to do Play Therapy at Home
Play isn't just fun and games for young children – it's their natural language for expressing emotions and working through challenges. Play therapy, a technique used by therapists, can be adapted for everyday use at home! Here are some ideas to use play therapy to address common concerns in young children:
Helping an Anxious Child.
Fort Fun: Build a blanket fort together. Inside the cosy space, have your little one tell you a story about a brave character facing their fear, it could be about a superhero overcoming a villain, a princess braving a dragon, or even a child starting a new school. Including calming sensory elements such as soft blankets, pillows, and fluffy stuffed animals provide a sense of security.
You can offer suggestions that showcase bravery and problem-solving, "Maybe the superhero uses their special powers, or the princess finds a hidden map to help her."
Helping an Angry/Frustrated Child.
The Calming Volcano: Create a sensory bin with rice or sand. Add toy volcanoes (or you can use a cup and fill it with vinegar and bicarbonate of soda for the effect) and figurines.
Let your little one ‘erupt’ like the volcano using big movements and loud voices, while you model calming techniques like counting to 5 whilst taking deep breaths in and out as the ‘lava’ flows down.
Helping a Child Accept Divorce/Separation.
Families: Use soft toys or small model people to represent family members, you can include pets too. Role-play conversations about the changes and how your little one feels.
Talk about how each toy or figure will represent someone in the family and use different voices and settings to represent separate homes.
Chat to them about how visiting different places can be both daunting and exciting. To further reassure, act out ways your little one can stay connected with the absent parent via phone calls and video chats, for example.
Helping a Child Accept Change (New School, New Sibling):.
Transition Town: To help them get familiar with the new surroundings, you can create familiar scenarios using blocks, toy cars or figures. For example, you can use a toy car to drive from the old house to the new school or have a figure walk through a different route to school. This can help children process and anticipate certain situations.
You can also use this opportunity to practice social skills with your child. For instance, you can have the figure find a friendly face in the new classroom and practice how your child can approach them and make a new friend. One way to do this is to teach your little one to say, "Hello, can we play together?”
Helping a Withdrawn Child.
Parallel Play (where you engage in activities side-by-side): Engage in activities you enjoy side-by-side, like drawing or building with blocks. This creates a safe space for your little one to observe you and eventually join in at their own pace or if they choose to do so.
Instead of asking direct questions that might feel intrusive, ask open-ended prompts that encourage observation. "What colour would you use next?" or "Do you think the tower will fall?"
Remember:
Follow your little one’s lead: Let them choose the toys and direct the play.
Be present: Put away distractions like your phone and focus on their world.
Use open-ended questions: "What's happening here?" instead of "Is that the Mummy doll?" or “I like the tower you’ve built”.
Celebrate small victories: Acknowledge and praise attempts at communication and expression, no matter how big this may be.
Play therapy at home can be a powerful tool to connect with your little one and help them understand and navigate their world. With a little creativity and these ideas as a start, you can turn playtime into a space for growth and support.