Hospitalisation for any person can disrupt their lives and produce feelings such as fear, anxiety or pain. For a child, these feelings and emotions are not so easy to control, express or manage.

Play Therapy holds an important role in a child’s life and provides them with some form of normality in a not so normal environment.

Play therapy is a form of therapy which uses play activities such as toys and other resources to help children through mental and emotional matters. Play therapy utilises play, a child’s natural means of expression, to help them express their feelings more easily through toys instead of words.

• Play builds rapport and provides a positive experience
• It maintains and encourages development, independence and resilience
• Provides education and a greater understanding of their surroundings
• It provides relieve of stress and anxiety
• Assists patients and families prepare for upcoming procedures, encouraging compliance and reducing stress
• Creates some normality in the clinical environment
• Provides opportunities for self-expression and self-esteem building
• Develops a sense of empowerment and control through play

• Playdough develops a child’s hands-eye co-ordination, fine more skills, enhances creativity and imagination
• Puzzles enhance problem-solving skills, cognitive thinking, finger strength and perseverance.
• Books encourage the development of language and literacy skills as well as emotional expression. Reading also enhances and supports a children’s brain development.
• Drawing supports a child’s hand-eye co-ordination and fine motor skills. It increases a child’s ability to maintain concentration and encourages self-expression through creativity
• Craft encourages a child to build on their imaginative skills and boosts creativity. It also encourage a child to build on their self-esteem and confidence.