Playing at School

In October I attended the Association for Play Therapy conference in Atlanta. I love play therapy and believe it is a powerful tool for elementary school counselors to use in responsive services. Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) was the approach I learned in graduate school and that I practice from. I often used play therapy as an individual counseling modality with students, and I used group play therapy when conducting social skills groups with K-1st graders. I've heard from other school counselors that having the time, space, or training to use play therapy make it challenging for them to implement. I also believe one of the blocks to using play therapy in the schools is a misunderstanding from other educators of what it is and why it works. In my experience, the idea of letting a child (who was often getting in trouble in the classroom) come to play with me was difficult for other educators to grasp! But I have experienced the power of therapeutic play for children and want other school counselors to use this approach as well.

Here is some of the information that I shared at my poster presentation at the APT conference that offers research and evidence-based support for using play therapy in school settings.

Play Therapy Improves Social Functioning:

• CCPT helps children develop behaviors that benefit self and others
• Evidence of changes in self-esteem, self-concept, and self-control after CCPT
• Evidence of differences in externalizing problems (aggressive, hyperactive, or rule-breaking behaviors) for children who do and do not participate in play therapy (e.g. Flahive & Ray, 2007; Ray, Armstrong, Balkin & Jayne, 2015; Post, 1999;)
• Changes in social functioning and behaviors after play therapy for children with disabilities (autism, ADHD, developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities)

Play Therapy Improves Academic Functioning:

• Studies linking participation in CCPT with academic achievement for at-risk children (e.g. Blanco & Ray, 2011; Blanco, Ray, & Holliman, 2012)  
• Academic functioning may be improved through increased self-confidence and coping skills as well as increases in intrinsic motivation from CCPT

Implications for School Play Therapists:

• Build awareness of benefits and uses of play therapy for teachers, administrators, and stakeholders
• Provide Child Teacher Relationship Training to help teachers understand needs of students and respond to behavior problems
• Collaborate with special education teachers and staff for play interventions serving students with disabilities

“Play therapy, therefore, is an adjunct to the learning environment, an experience that helps children maximize opportunities to learn in the classroom” (Landreth, 2012, p. 86)

This link connects to my list of references for the presentation and further information about using play therapy in school settings.