Author: Yanna Noboa LICSW, CCPT | Child Therapy
There are many reasons why child- centered play therapy is the most suitable intervention for children under the age of 12. What is the number one thing we think of when we hear the word “play” ?…..we think “children!”. There is no mistake in that! children learn, grow and experience the world through play. Play is their natural language. When we provide play therapy, especially child-centered play therapy as a mental health intervention for kids under 12, we are engaging in their natural form of communication and understanding. This is different from adults, because when we need mental health support and seek out therapy we utilize our cognitive, verbal and abstract reasoning skills to process emotional difficulties. Abstract reasoning is the ability to think about things that aren’t right in front of you. It means understanding ideas and solving problems by thinking about patterns and relationships, not just things you can see or touch.
Abstract reasoning plays a crucial role in therapy for adults by enabling them to understand and process complex ideas, recognize patterns in their thoughts and behaviors, and develop strategies for managing their mental health. Here are some ways adults use abstract reasoning in therapy: Abstract reasoning helps clients recognize recurring patterns in their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. For example, they might notice that certain situations consistently trigger anxiety or that specific thought patterns lead to depressive feelings. Clients can identify overarching themes in their lives, such as issues related to self-esteem, relationships, or control. This helps them gain a deeper understanding of their mental health struggles.
Now lets think about children and abstract reasoning: Imagine you show a child three objects in a pattern: a red apple, a green apple, and a blue apple. Then you show them a red apple and a green apple again and ask them what comes next. A child who hasn’t developed abstract reasoning might find this hard because they don’t yet understand the idea of the repeating color pattern (red, green, blue). Young children are still in the concrete operational stage of cognitive development. They understand things they can see, touch, and directly experience. Abstract reasoning skills usually develop later, as the brain matures. Marini and Case (1994) found that the capacity for abstract reasoning begins to emerge around the age of 11 or 12 in both social and non-social domains. Children need time and experiences to practice thinking about patterns and relationships. They learn best through play and concrete examples before they can understand abstract concepts.. so isn’t great that there is already, and intervention specifically design to support children in way that does not require them to use skills that they have not developed?!
Play is the child’s symbolic language of self expression and can reveal (a) what the child has experienced; (b) reactions to what was experienced; (c) feelings about what was experienced’ (d) what the child wishes, wants, or needs; and(c) the child’s perception of self. By providing a non-threatening environment where children can freely express themselves through play, child-centered play therapy allows them to symbolically explore and process their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Children can learn to regulate their emotions, cope with stressors, and develop essential social and emotional skills. Play therapy promotes healing and growth by addressing a wide range of issues commonly experienced by children, fostering resilience and self-confidence.
It is so important to meet children right where they are developmentally, and child-centered play therapy does an excellent job at providing children exactly what they need. If you have more questions about child-centered play therapy and/or abstract reasoning as it relates to your child please reach out for initial FREE consultation with me.
References:
Book: Gary Landreth, Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship
Research: Marini Z., Case R. The development of abstract reasoning about the physical and social world. Child Dev. 1994;65:147–159. https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-8624.1994.tb00741.x
