Why Does Your Child Need Play Therapy?

You might be surprised but playtime can be much more than a recreational activity for children. Sure, children can unwind and have fun while they play. The most evident benefit of children’s play being that it fosters joyous emotions. This means that unstructured play, when encouraged by parents, can result in happier children.

But that’s not all. The trained child care specialists at one of the leading children’s play centres in Bopal, Ahmedabad share that through Play Therapy the benefits of playtime can go even further beyond.

First things first, what is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy or counselling that makes use of play to diagnose and address psychological issues in both children and sometimes adults as well. Growing scientific evidence suggests that using play therapy can be successful in treating a range of behavioural and mental health concerns.

Children often express themselves and understand the world through play. And the skilled professionals in our team at Little Wings, the best preschool in South Bopal, take advantage of play therapy to get children who might have trouble expressing themselves to do so through play therapy. A therapist or counsellor can observe play to learn more about the child and their mental and emotional issues. Once the issue has been identified, the therapist can assist the child in navigating their feelings and dealing with underlying trauma. Children can also learn new coping skills and how to correct incorrect behaviour through play.

Now that you know about play therapy, let’s dig in a little deeper…

What are the benefits of Play Therapy for children?

According to Play Therapy International, up to 71% of children who are referred to play therapy may see positive improvement. Although some children can be hesitant at first, confidence in the therapist usually grows over the period of play. The child may become more imaginative or talkative in their play as they feel more at ease with the therapist and their attachment grows.

Through play therapy at Little wings, one of the leading children’s play centres in Bopal, Ahmedabad, children learn to take responsibility for their actions, build empathy and self-respect, learn to recognise and express their emotions in a healthy way. This leads to an increase in self-confidence and improved interpersonal skills. Eventually leading to children picking up new social skills and even putting problem-solving techniques into practice in their daily life.

Because verbal and physical expression is such a major part of play therapy, it also encourages language use and the growth of both small and large motor skills. If a child has been diagnosed with a mental or physical ailment, play therapy does not replace medication or any other necessary therapies. However, it can be utilised in education institutes such as preschools in Ahmedabad or children’s play centres in Bopal, Ahmedabad and beyond, either on its own or teamed up with other therapies to chart a path for a child’s holistic development.

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Why Your Child’s Daycare Needs a Child Psychologist

According to UNICEF, as a child’s brain develops, the quality of early experiences makes a critical difference. It either provides strong or weak foundations for learning, health and behaviour throughout life. It is the time when most of the physical and mental changes occur in a child, more than any other stage of life.

Sometimes they might have a condition that affects their learning, which they might not know about themselves, and they need someone who can understand this without having to verbalise it. Hence, it is very important to ensure that they are provided with the best possible environment for holistic growth. Preschools provide children with a safe and comfortable space to learn in a high-quality facility and have a smooth transition into primary schooling. But teams at the best preschools and daycares know that you need a trained health professional or child psychologist who has studied human behaviour and is an expert in the ways children think, feel, behave and learn.

So, one of the best daycare schools in South Bopal, Ahmedabad, is here to share why having a child psychologist is a must for any day care.

Conducts assessments

Child psychologists are trained to empower children to make sense of what happens in their minds and lives. They help children in a way that they understand. Hence, experts in the best preschool near Bopal, Ahmedabad conduct psychological assessments or tests to get a better understanding of a child’s developing mind. The tests reveal specific strengths and weaknesses of the child, positive and negative stimuli, environmental problems, along with all the other factors that influence the child’s learning process. With this they can also develop an individualised treatment plan for different children in order to help them learn a little better.

Now, when it comes to psychological assessment, most of the parents conjure an image of their children lying on a couch, talking about their feelings to a person who is taking notes across from them. But this is not the case. This assessment is a series of measures that is different for every child. It helps the expert to provide information on how the child learns the best.

Special attention to emotions

Childhood depression, anxiety or stress is a thing. Though the idea of a little child getting stressed may be difficult to fathom as people consider this age as the happiest phase. Others think that such young children lack the developmental maturity to experience the core cognitions associated with depression. The study, conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), found that between 2016 and 2020, the number of children ages 3-17 years diagnosed with anxiety grew by 29% and those with depression by 27%. The age group of preschoolers falls under this category.

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School’s back! Here’s How to Prepare Your Preschooler as the World Goes Offline

“No more pencils, no more books,

No more teachers, dirty looks.

Out for summer, out ’til fall,

We might not come back at all. School’s out!”

With the start of the pandemic, these lines by Alice Cooper felt true to a great extent. This song was written to be sung on the last day of school. But to everyone’s disappointment it turned out to be true for a much much longer time for kids who were about to start their journey; the preschoolers!

Schools, day care centres, public spaces, businesses, everything was shut. The pandemic affected each one of us equally, leaving us cooped up in our home. Parents of preschoolers had the most daunting of all tasks, to ensure their kids studied while being at home.

But the drop in covid cases in 2022 led to the reopening of schools and the start of preschool admissions as well. So these same parents are now facing the opposite and equally challenging problem of preparing their little ones for extended periods outside their home, and at school. And while this might be tough, but it is extremely important for parents to provide their kids with opportunities for social interaction & physical activities in their formative years.

After approximately 2 years of isolation & schooling from home, let’s get all of you parents ready for an unprecedented school year.

Introduce proper time management

Because of the stay-at-home regimen, studying, sleeping and eating schedules went haywire. When kids were attending classes online, they were not expected to get up early, dress up and leave for school. They were able to eat or play according to their wishes.

But now with the schools opening up, kids need to be more in control of their team. Hence, parents need to encourage consistency & establish a daily wake-up, getting dressed, breakfast, and family time routine for their kids.  Moreover, they need to monitor their television & internet timings after & before school.

Educate them about the new normal

Playing with friends, sharing lunches with them, will not be the same even after the reopening of schools. It is very crucial for a healthy preschool or day care experience that he/she understands the new school environment.

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