The Power of Play in Preschool Occupational Therapy
Play is important.
It occurs in all mammals, despite the danger it may pose to young. Animal research suggests that play may be crucial for brain development, flexible thinking, and problem solving.1, 2, 3
Although the U.S. devotes significant financial resources to play, including toy purchases and provision of playground equipment, our schools don’t always give it the full attention or respect it deserves. This is despite the fact that play has been linked to a variety of benefits such as:
- Learning
- Divergent and convergent thinking
- Creativity and the ability to come up with ideas for alternative uses for an object
- Metacognition and self-regulation
- Flexibility in approach to problem solving
- Parent-child interaction, attachment, and quality of life4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Play and Occupational Therapy
Play is an important childhood occupation because of the joy it provides children and the meaning it has in their lives. But therapists don’t always put their money where their mouths are when considering the outcomes they are working toward.9
Often, play is used as a reward after doing something else or as a means to an end. Both of these uses of play are highly controlled by the adult and are not true play.
Identifying Barriers to Play
If play is so wonderful, why aren’t OTs using it all the time? Therapists report many barriers, including:
- Knowledge or comfort level (“I’m not good at being playful!” “I feel silly!”)
- Perceived role limitations (“In my setting, the teacher works on play, not the OT!”)
- Financial limitations (“Insurance won’t pay for me to work on play!”)
- Time (“I have other, more important things to work on and not enough time!”)9
Rest assured that moving past these barriers and incorporating play into therapy is possible! In Part Two of this series, we’ll look at ten options for including play into your practice and increasing kids’ engagement and enjoyment of their therapy sessions.
Learn more about the use of play in occupational therapy in Heather Kuyhaneck’s course The Importance of Play: Overcoming Barriers to Addressing Play in Occupational Therapy Sessions, or browse the full catalog of MedBridge occupational therapy courses.
- Burghart, G. M. (2005). The Genesis of Animal Play: Testing the Limits. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA.
- Panksepp, J. (2010). Science of the brain as a gateway to understanding play: an interview with Jaak Panksepp. American Journal of Play, 2(3): 245-277. Retrieved from http://www.journalofplay.org/sites/www.journalofplay.org/files/pdf-articles/2-3-interview-science-of-brain-jaak-panksepp.pdf
- Pellis, S. M., Pellis, V. C., & Himmler, B. T. (2014). How play makes for a more adaptable brain: a comparative and neural perspective. American Journal of Play, 7(1): 73-98. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1043959.pdf
- Elkind, D. (2007). The Power of Play. De Capo Press: Cambridge, MA.
- Fisher, E. P. (1992). The impact of play on development: a meta-analysis. Play and Culture, 5(2): 159-181. doi: 10.1037/a0029321.
- Milteer, R. M. & Ginsburg, K. R. (2012). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bond: focus on children in poverty. Pediatrics, 129(1): 204-213. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-2953.
- Ginsburg, K. R., The Committee on Communications, & The Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1): 182-191. doi: 10.1542/peds.2006-2697.
- Pelligrini, A. (2009b). The Role of Play in Human Development. Oxford University Press: Oxford, England.
- Miller Kuhaneck, H., Spitzer, S., & Miller, E. (2010). Activity Analysis, Creativity, and Playfulness in Pediatric Occupational Therapy: Making Play Just Right. Jones & Bartlett: Burlington, MA.
- Miller Kuhaneck, H., Spitzer, S., & Miller, E. (2010). Activity Analysis, Creativity, and Playfulness in Pediatric Occupational Therapy: Making Play Just Right. Jones & Bartlett: Burlington, MA.
