Therapeutic play helps children with social or emotional struggles learn to communicate better, change behaviors, develop problem-solving skills, and relate to others in more positive ways. Play therapy can help children with academic and social problems, learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, or anger, as well as those with attention deficit disorders. Play therapy responds to the unique developmental needs of young children, who often express themselves better through play activities than through verbal communication. The therapist uses play and other creative activities to communicate with the child and observe how the child uses these activities to express thoughts and feelings that are not expressed in words.
