Why Many Families Choose Play Therapy to Support Their Children
Across the globe, families are seeking therapies that meet children where they are. Many parents notice that while their child feels strong emotions, putting those emotions into words is nearly impossible. Traditional talk therapy often depends on verbal skills that children have not yet developed, which can leave children frustrated or misunderstood.
That’s where play therapy comes in. Using toys, art, and imaginative activities, trained therapists provide a safe, developmentally appropriate way for children to express themselves. Play becomes their language, and toys become their words.
From New York to London, and in communities across Ontario such as Whitby, Durham Region, and the broader GTA, therapy through play is helping children work through trauma, anxiety, grief, and everyday challenges. At The Insight Clinic in Whitby, play therapy is offered as one of several evidence-based approaches. While its application is local, its principles and benefits are universal.
What Is Play Therapy?
Play therapy is more than “playtime in a clinical setting.” It is a structured, evidence-based form of psychotherapy designed specifically for children.
- Age focus: Typically for children ages 3–12, though teens and even adults can benefit.
- Who provides it: Licensed psychologists, psychotherapists, counselors, or social workers with advanced training in play therapy.
- How it works: Activities may include drawing, role-playing, storytelling, puppetry, or building with blocks. Every action a child chooses can symbolically reveal their inner world.
On the surface, sessions may look like ordinary play. But beneath the surface, every puppet show, every sandcastle, every drawing carries meaning. The child is telling a story, sometimes one they cannot yet put into words.
Evidence-Based Foundations of Play Therapy
Developmental Foundations
Developmental psychologists such as Jean Piaget emphasized that play is essential to growth. Through play, children test ideas, experiment with problem-solving, and explore social roles. Play therapy harnesses this natural process to create opportunities for healing.
For example, when a child role-plays being a doctor to a doll, they may be working through fears of medical visits. When a child builds a tower only to knock it down, they may be expressing frustration or a sense of instability in their life.
Neuroscience and Brain Function
Modern neuroscience supports these observations. Research from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) shows that activities involving imagination and play activate parts of the brain connected to:
- Emotional regulation
- Memory formation
- Executive function
These activities literally help children rewire their brains, creating new pathways for resilience. Play therapy doesn’t just relieve immediate stress; it fosters long-term emotional stability.
Clinical Effectiveness
- Research from Play Therapy UK (PTUK) and Play Therapy International (PTI), based on over 8,000 clinical cases, suggests that a significant majority of children — between 74% and 83% — experience positive changes through play therapy, when delivered by trained practitioners.
- The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) recognizes play therapy as effective for reducing anxiety, managing behavioral problems, and addressing trauma.
- Studies published in PubMed show long-term improvements in emotional awareness, self-control, and social skills.
The conclusion is clear: play therapy is not “just play.” It is a clinical, research-supported method that builds health and resilience.
What to Expect During a Play Therapy Process
Step 1: Initial Assessment
Every journey begins with understanding. The therapist meets with caregivers to review the child’s history, challenges, and goals. This ensures that the therapy plan is tailored to the child’s unique needs.
Step 2: The Playroom
The therapy room is intentionally designed to feel safe and inviting. It is filled with carefully selected toys, art materials, dolls, puppets, blocks, sand trays, that encourage symbolic expression.
Step 3: Directive and Nondirective Approaches
- Directive play therapy: The therapist introduces structured activities to explore specific issues.
- Nondirective play therapy: The child leads, while the therapist observes and gently participates.
Both approaches reveal emotions and themes that might otherwise remain hidden.
Step 4: Integration Over Time
Over multiple sessions, children begin to:
- Share emotions indirectly through toys, drawings, or stories.
- Practice coping strategies in safe, imaginative scenarios.
- Build trust with the therapist and eventually extend that trust to caregivers.
Step 5: Family Involvement
Sometimes, parents or siblings join sessions in what is called filial therapy. This strengthens family communication and helps caregivers learn how to support their child’s growth at home.
Common Challenges Addressed Through Play Therapy
One of the strengths of play therapy is its flexibility. It adapts to the child’s world and can address a wide range of challenges:
- Medical experiences: Coping with surgery, chronic illness, or hospital stays.
- Developmental differences: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, and learning difficulties.
- Behavioral concerns: Aggression, impulsivity, defiance, or school struggles.
- Emotional struggles: Anxiety, depression, grief, or phobias.
- Family transitions: Divorce, adoption, relocation, or death of a loved one.
- Trauma recovery: Domestic violence, neglect, abuse, natural disasters, or displacement.
While commonly associated with children, play therapy is not limited to them. Teens and adults, particularly those with PTSD, dementia, or unresolved childhood trauma, can also benefit from sand-tray therapy, drama, or role-play.
Potential Benefits of Play Therapy for Children and Families
Emotional Growth
Children learn to name, identify, and regulate emotions. Instead of acting out, they begin to manage feelings constructively.
Behavioral Improvements
Play therapy supports accountability and reduces aggression or impulsivity.
Social and Family Skills
Through role-play and imaginative play, children develop empathy, practice conflict resolution, and strengthen communication skills. Families often report stronger bonds at home.
Self-Esteem and Confidence
As children master coping strategies, they develop resilience and confidence in their ability to face challenges.
Cognitive and Physical Development
Creative play supports problem-solving, language development, and both fine and gross motor skills.
Long-Term Resilience
Just as physical therapy strengthens muscles, repeated play therapy strengthens emotional resilience. These skills often last long after therapy ends.
Is Play Therapy Safe? What Parents Need to Know
Parents often ask: Is play therapy safe? The answer is yes, when provided by qualified professionals.
- Environment: Sessions are structured, supportive, and predictable.
- Non-invasive: No drugs or medical procedures are involved.
- Flexible: Play therapy can be combined with other treatments such as CBT, family therapy, or medication when needed.
Parents should always confirm that their provider is licensed and trained, often through organizations like the Association for Play Therapy (APT).
A Clinical Example: How Symbolic Play Supports Emotional Expression
Consider a child who has recently lost a parent. At home, they withdraw from family and display bursts of anger. In therapy, the child repeatedly acts out family scenarios with dolls where a parent leaves and never returns.
Over time, the therapist introduces small narrative shifts: alternative endings where the family finds comfort, or where the child expresses sadness instead of anger.
Gradually, the child begins to verbalize grief. Angry outbursts lessen. Teachers notice greater engagement at school. The child is healing, not through lectures, but through play.
This case illustrates how play therapy helps children unlock emotions that words cannot reach.
The Importance of Accessible Child-Centred Therapies
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 1 in 7 children worldwide experiences a mental health disorder. Early intervention is critical, yet many children never receive developmentally appropriate therapy.
In major cities, families may find multiple specialists. In smaller communities, including areas of Ontario such as Whitby, Durham Region, and parts of the GTA, local clinics play a vital role in making these therapies accessible.
When families access play therapy, the impact goes beyond the individual child. Benefits ripple outward into:
- School performance: Children concentrate better and engage more fully in learning.
- Peer relationships: Improved emotional awareness helps children connect with friends.
- Family life: Families report stronger bonds and less conflict.
In this way, play therapy not only supports the child but strengthens the community around them.
How Play Therapy Is Used in Different Cultural and Global Contexts
Play therapy is not limited by geography. In the U.S., U.K., and Canada, it is often integrated into school counseling or pediatric psychology. In developing countries, it is used in humanitarian settings with children displaced by war or natural disasters.
What unites all these settings is the universal language of play. Whether in Whitby or in refugee camps abroad, children use play to express what they cannot yet say. The therapist’s role is to listen, to understand the meaning behind the play and guide healing.
How Parents and Caregivers Can Support the Therapeutic Process
Therapy does not end at the clinic door. Parents and caregivers are critical partners in the process. Here are some ways families can support therapy at home:
- Respect the process: Allow the child to attend sessions consistently without pressure.
- Encourage safe play: Create time and space for open-ended play at home.
- Stay involved: Participate in family sessions when invited.
- Be patient: Healing takes time; progress may be subtle at first.
- Model healthy coping: Children learn emotional regulation by observing caregivers.
Parents who embrace these roles often see faster and more lasting progress.
Final Thoughts on Play Therapy and Next Steps for Families
Play therapy turns the natural language of play into a powerful therapeutic process. It provides children with a safe, creative space to express emotions, process trauma, and build emotional resilience. Backed by decades of research, play therapy is recognized globally as an effective, child-centred approach to mental health support.
At Insight Clinic in Whitby, play therapy is one of several evidence-based services available to children and families across Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). While our practice is local, the principles of play therapy are universal—helping children find their voice, strengthen emotional coping, and feel understood.
Children may not always have the words to explain what they’re feeling—but through play, they can be seen and supported in meaningful ways. The earlier the intervention, the more opportunity there is for lasting emotional growth.
Book a FREE 15-minute consultation with Sobia our Registered Psychotherapist (Q) at The Insight Clinic, and explore how play therapy can support your child’s healing and development.
FAQs
1.- What makes play therapy different from regular play?
While regular play is essential for development, play therapy is a structured, therapeutic process guided by a trained mental health professional. Children use toys, art, and storytelling to safely explore and express their emotions. Every activity is selected with therapeutic intent to support emotional regulation, communication, and healing.
2.- What ages benefit most from play therapy?
Play therapy is most commonly used with children ages 3 to 12, but adolescents and even adults can benefit from adapted methods like sand tray, expressive arts, or role-play, especially when processing grief, trauma, or anxiety.
3.- What kinds of challenges can play therapy support?
Play therapy can help address a variety of emotional and behavioural concerns, including:
- Anxiety, sadness, or fears
- Aggressive or withdrawn behaviour
- Family transitions (divorce, adoption, relocation)
- Grief and loss
- Trauma and stress
- Developmental differences like ADHD or autism spectrum
Note: Therapy goals are always tailored to the child’s individual needs, and outcomes vary.
4.- Can parents be involved in play therapy?
Yes. Depending on the approach used, parents or caregivers may participate through filial therapy, regular check-ins, or joint sessions. This helps strengthen the parent-child relationship and supports continuity between sessions and home life.
5.- Is play therapy safe for my child?
Yes. When provided by a trained and regulated professional, play therapy is a safe and developmentally appropriate approach. Sessions are confidential, child-centred, and non-invasive, offering children a secure space to explore difficult feelings at their own pace.
