When you think about play, what do you think of? How do you define it? What feelings does it evoke? What importance do you give it?
Being a play therapist I think VERY highly of play and have seen endless ways it can improve the lives of not only kids, but of everyone. And if you think back you can recognize that each of us started learning and understand the world and our place in it through playful exploration and connection with others. This is fundamentally why play is so well suited to become a therapeutic agent.
But it's JUST PLAY ... what possibly could be so important about it? Don't kids play all the time? How could playing with legos ... or puppets ... or Connect 4 ... help my kid with ADHD ... anxiety... depression ... adjustment issues ... trauma be HELPED by PLAY?
Well, to start...
Take some time to really look at those the words listed above ... and then think of the things that kids you know struggle with.
See the connection?
So, next time you're wondering what that play therapist or child is doing in session - think about what things are being learned and practiced through play.