Play Therapy for Children
Play Therapy
When a young child is struggling, it often shows up in behaviour long before it appears in words. Sleep changes, clinginess, tears, tantrums or withdrawal can all be a child's way of saying that something feels too big to manage. Play therapy offers a gentle way to help.
What Is Play Therapy?
Play is the natural language of childhood. Long before children can explain their inner world, they show it through the games they invent and the stories they act out. Play therapy in Pretoria uses this language deliberately. Working online by video and from a calm, familiar space at home, Nicole uses play to help a child express, explore and gradually make sense of feelings that are hard to put into words.
It is more than ordinary play. The therapist pays close attention to the themes a child returns to and uses both the relationship and the play itself to support emotional growth and healing.
Who Can Play Therapy Help?
Play therapy for children generally suits younger children, roughly between the ages of three and eleven, although this varies from child to child. It can support a child who is dealing with:
- Anxiety, fears or frequent worry
- Big or overwhelming emotions that are hard to manage
- Family change, such as divorce, relocation or a new sibling
- Grief and loss
- Behavioural difficulties at home or at school
- Low confidence or social struggles
- The effects of a frightening or traumatic event
What Happens in a Session?
Sessions take place online, by video, from a familiar space in your own home. With a few simple toys and materials that you help gather beforehand, such as art supplies and figurines, your child is generally free to lead, choosing what to play while Nicole follows, observes and gently engages. Over time, the play becomes a way of working through difficult experiences at a pace the child can manage. Sessions usually last around forty-five minutes and are held regularly so that trust and progress can build.
Working Alongside Parents
Parents are essential to play therapy. Because sessions take place online from home, you will usually help your child get set up and settled at the start, then give them space to play while staying nearby in case they need you. The process begins with a conversation about your child's history and what has been worrying you. Along the way, Nicole will check in with you, share broad themes while protecting your child's trust, and suggest ways to support your child at home. You remain a central part of your child's progress.
Realistic Expectations
Children do not change on a fixed schedule, and play therapy is not an instant solution. Progress often appears gradually, sometimes first at home or school rather than in the sessions themselves. What play therapy provides is a safe relationship and a natural means for a child to process what they are carrying, so that they can return to the ordinary work of being a child.
Questions ParentsOften Ask
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On the surface, a session can look like a child simply playing, and in a sense, that is the point. The difference lies in the setting and the attention behind it. The materials are chosen with care, and the therapist follows the themes a child returns to, using the play and the relationship to support emotional growth. Ordinary play is wonderful for children, but play therapy is a deliberate, trained process with a therapeutic purpose.
Changes in young children often show up in behaviour rather than words. Parents frequently notice shifts at home or school first, such as calmer moods, better sleep, fewer outbursts or a child seeming more settled in themselves. Nicole will check in with you along the way, share broad themes while protecting your child's trust, and help you make sense of what you are seeing.
This varies from child to child and depends on what they are working through. Some children need only a short period of support, while others benefit from a longer process. Sessions are usually held weekly so that trust and progress can build steadily. The likely shape of the work is discussed with you, and it is reviewed as your child progresses.
Very little preparation is needed, and it is best to keep things simple and calm. You might tell your child they are going to spend time on a video call, playing with someone whose job is to help children with their feelings. Nicole will let you know in advance if there are any simple toys or materials to have ready. There is no need to rehearse anything or to explain the difficulties in detail. The process is designed to meet your child exactly where they are.
Play therapy tends to suit children roughly between the ages of three and eleven, though this is a guide rather than a strict rule. Younger children respond naturally to a way of working built around play, while older children may begin moving towards more conversation-based approaches. If you are unsure whether it is the right fit for your child's age and needs, that is something Nicole can talk through with you before you begin.