Play Therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses play and art materials to help a child to express themselves, supporting them to understand their world, and be able to cope better with difficulties they have faced in their lives.
The playroom has a toolkit of toys and materials that help a child to process their experiences in a safe and non-judgemental space, including clay, sand, paint, arts and crafts, puppets, small world miniatures, and musical instruments. Play Therapy is non-directive, and allows the child to explore their feelings and experiences through their natural ability to play at a pace that feels safe for them, just as an adult would explore their own experiences through talking.
Play Therapy can help with a multitude of difficulties that a child may be experiencing, whether this is a traumatic event that has had a lasting impact on their mental health and well-being, or helping to develop confidence and self-esteem. The playroom is used as a safe space to explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences at a distance from their reality, and when comfortable to do so, bring their new found strategies and understanding into their world.
What’s in the playroom?
Children will have access to a range of toys and materials in the playroom that support their play to combine fantasy and reality, providing them with the tools to process emotions and experiences. The Little Oak Therapies playroom is based at The Bright Hub in Renhold, Bedford, and provides access to clay, sand, paint, art and craft materials, puppets, books, dress-up, dolls, Lego, small world miniatures, musical instruments, den-building materials, and more. During their time in the playroom, each child takes the lead in their play, and can decide what they would like to play with each week.
