"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." Plato
We help children who can't talk about their feelings. We help using their very first language- play. If you know a child who needs developmentally appropriate support please contact us to find out how we can help you.
Information and tips about play therapy and child mental health to help the children in your life. Learn about how to support a child in the classroom and at home. Find out about the latest research findings on child mental health. From time to time I will invite you to reflect on your inner child too as it's all related!
Parenting, child therapy, families, classroom support, play therapy
Free Play! A list of its profound benefits!
This month we are delighted to feature a guest post from Neve Spicer (of wetheparents.org). This is a great article to share with those who need reminding that play should be a priority along with an evidence based infographic! Enjoy and share with your friends for Play Therapy Week! ( 3rd Feb- 10th Feb 2019)
Modern science is now backing up what parents, educators and play therapists have known for eons. Children need to play.
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Following last month's article on cultivating your inner calm, this month we are focussing on when things have escalated and you haven't got any more calm to share (it happens to us all!). So this time we are focussing more specifically about not joining the chaos! Because let's face it, we can't always keep up with our calm cultivating practices (that we touched on in the last article). Sometimes it seems there's just a perfect storm of things going wrong and you get wound up. You are human after all.
First be sure to download your free printable refrigerator sheet that accompanies this article so you can easily put this into action!
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The lovely Noreen Mir from RTHK Radio 3 & I!
It was my pleasure to talk about Play Therapy and raise awareness on child mental health today on RTHK radio 3 with the lovely Noreen Mir! Take a listen/watch to find out....
* The endangered type of play that you should be prioritising!
* What is typically in my playroom
* Why Play Therapy is so effective
* Why Play Therapy can be used across the lifespan (yes really!)
* Things to look out for in your child's behaviour
* Tips on how to get your anxious child on the school bus!
Read moreGood news! Your child doesn’t need you to be the perfect parent (whatever that is!?)
Don’t get me wrong there are definitely wrong ways to parent. There are definitely abusive ways to parent. But if you’re a regular reader over here you probably already know that. You’re probably a subscriber because you deeply care about your child’s emotional wellbeing, you value play and you want to be the best parent (or teacher, therapist) you can be. And there’s something I’ve been saying a lot to the families I work directly with recently, and I want to share it with you…
Your child doesn’t need you to the perfect parent!
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With the rise in childhood anxiety, it seems children are under more pressure than ever. We are more aware of big forms of stress on children (e.g. from school pressures, divorce, abuse, bereavement, and abuse) but they are not the only ways. Few parents or teachers intend to put excess pressure on their child but there could be some ways you are adding to their internal pressure cooker. In this article I will share two hidden ways we unwittingly add pressure and some ways to take the lid off! (In a controlled manner of course!).
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Baby’s brains are pretty incredible. They are the best learners and they seemingly never stop trying to learn more about the world! Here are some fun facts to celebrate the unsung baby brain! Read to the end to get easy tips on how to support your baby's brain growth.
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What is play therapy? Who is it for and what does a play therapist do?
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Image credit to <a href='http://www.freepik.com/free-photo/little-girl-covering-her-face_907980.htm'>Designed by Freepik</a> (modified)
When a child is experiencing anxiety, they are stuck in a state of “readiness”. Their bodies are getting ready for action. Their heart rate and breathing rate increases and there is surge in stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Their nervous system switches into Sympathetic nervous system which is reactive and prioritises fight or flight. Blood supply rushes to the legs and arms ready to run or fight. When anxiety is persistent children become stuck and will need extra help from caring adults in their life. Seeing your child suffer from anxiety is anxiety provoking in the parents often! A play therapist can help your child move through the anxiety and learnt to self regulate the strong sensations experienced with anxiety.
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