For children, play is one of the main tools for development in life. With its help, they learn to interact with other people, develop intellectually and physically, explore the world, and broaden their horizons. And most importantly, they do it all in an interesting way without coercion. Game therapy (IT) is a psychological tool aimed at working with mental disorders in people of all ages through participation in a certain game.
Can a game teach you how to communicate?
Many parents and teachers note that it is becoming increasingly difficult for modern children to find a common language with each other. As a result, they cannot build relationships, quarrel more often and withdraw into themselves.
Common interests, tasks, joint actions contribute to the emergence of harmonious relationships between peers
To do this, it is important to be able to express your own state in words, facial expressions, gestures, as well as recognize the emotions of others
Unfortunately, it is not always possible for a child to easily master the skills of communicative competence. Insufficient development of such skills can become a barrier to free communication and cognitive activity, which will slow down the development of the child as an individual.
The problem can be corrected through play therapy. The development of communicative competence in preschoolers occurs through joint activities. Children easily begin to communicate, developing speech and acquiring new skills.
Basic techniques include bringing children together and creating a welcoming environment around them. All proposed games are built not on rivalry, but on partnership relations: round dances, fun games. For example, an interesting game is “Secret”, when the host gives each person from a magic chest a small secret (a small toy, a bead, a beautiful pebble), which cannot be shown to others. Children walk around and persuade each other to show their “preciousness”. An adult helps, but in the game the participants’ imagination awakens and they try to find a common language and suitable words and arguments.
In the game “Mittens,” the leader lays out several pairs of black and white paper mittens, and the children must find “their pair,” and then color them the same way together. The players who complete it first win. Participants will have to find a similar part and agree on which colors to choose.
In play therapy for preschoolers, such tasks help to find new ways to establish contacts and partnerships, as well as enjoy communication. In the future, such skills will be useful in order to live comfortably in the company of people, to easily understand others and to be understood yourself.
For children of any age and with any problem, including children with disabilities who need special conditions for education and upbringing, you can choose suitable classes.
Examples of games for home
Naturally, full-fledged classes should be conducted by a specialist, but parents can provide invaluable assistance to the child by communicating and playing with him. What can a preschooler do outside of kindergarten? Familiar exercises will come to the aid of all of us.
- Fun in the sandbox. In the sandbox, during games in the fresh air, the most bizarre shapes are modeled from wet sand using different molds.
- Magic mirror. Sitting opposite, the baby and mom (dad) repeat gestures and facial expressions one after another, like reflections in a mirror.
- Snowmen. Parents and children pretend to be snowmen, gradually melting right down to the puddle.
- Swamp. You can cut out special bumps from paper, the size of two feet, or you can just use newspapers and arrange races around the room, moving only through such safe places, trying not to get on the floor, which has become a swamp.
Different games for different purposes
Unfortunately, there is no one universal game that would allow you to get rid of childhood problems. The choice of game depends on the source of the disorder and its depth. It is best if a psychologist selects suitable leisure time. But there is no harm from games, so you can use the recommendations described below.
Several conditions must be met for the game to be successful.
- Such a pastime should be interesting not only for a child, but also for an adult. Children always sense insincerity. And if they know that their parents play with them because they have to, and not because they want to, then the entire therapeutic effect may come to naught. The sincere pleasure of all participants is the key to success.
- The game should be spontaneous. For kids this is of particular importance. If a child plays according to some schedule, then for him it will not be entertainment, but work.
- The game must be voluntary. In general, this is obvious from the previous paragraphs. Entertainment under pressure is no longer such.
Games to improve psychological well-being
Children feel calm when they know that someone needs them and is interesting. The easiest way to show this is through the following well-known games:
- blind man's buff;
- tag;
- hide and seek;
- obstacle course.
In all games, it is important to give in a little, if it is clear that the baby is not coping, encourage and praise for success
Games that help correct aggression
For children who show aggression, it is important to show in contrast that there is another model of behavior, and also that any dispute should end on a positive note. These games can be played from the age of two
- War game. A child and an adult throw various safe objects at each other: pillows, wads of paper, plush toys, using shields and shelters. And they end the fight with a draw and hugs.
- Cats. The baby and the adult take turns turning together, either into kind, purring and caressing cats, or into angry and hissing ones. Instead of cats there can be dogs, hedgehogs and any other animals.
Games aimed at relieving tension and relaxation
The main goal of eliminating these parameters is a change in brain activity and physical calm.
- The sea is agitated once. The well-known game works great for distraction and relaxation. The adult says: the sea worries once, the sea worries two, the sea worries three, the sea (terrestrial, vegetable, any other) figure freeze! While voicing the phrase, the child sways as if on the waves and freezes at the last word in some position until the presenter guesses what kind of figure it is. Then the players change roles, or do the same thing again. This entertainment is suitable for children from three years old.
- Doll. The presenter tells the child to imagine that he is turning into a doll. Lists all the parts of the body that should become stiff, while pressing on them. The child freezes in one position, trying to tense all his muscles until the adult says that the baby has become a human again. He becomes glorified and softens. This game can be played from the age of four.
Games that help correct fears
If a child is worried about internal experiences and fears, it is important to show him that in any situation you can find a way out and be saved.
- Cat and mouse. An adult and a child take turns taking on the role of a cat or a mouse. The cat is sleeping, and the mouse is running around him and squeaking. He wakes up, starts hunting for the mouse, she runs away and saves herself in her hole. This game can be played from two years old.
- Bringing. One of the players puts on a sheet and becomes a ghost. With a frightening “UUU” sound, he begins to run after the other participant and if he catches them, they change roles. This type of entertainment can be used from the age of three.
Who is better for a child to play with?
It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. It all depends on the goals described above. If it is necessary to reveal potential or slightly correct behavior, then it will be comfortable and adaptive to do this with parents. After all, they are the ones who know their baby better than anyone else and will find an approach to him. And the child will be more comfortable playing with relatives. Regular trips to the office with a “Psychologist” sign can themselves cause stress, which is unnecessary if the baby is just a little capricious, for example.
Parents cannot always cope with psychological disorders on their own due to many factors: subjectivity, lack of appropriate education, time, desire, and others. Therefore, in such cases, it is better to contact a play therapist who, if necessary, will involve both mom and dad in the game or teach them how to play at home.
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Where to begin
It is necessary to remember that the baby completely trusts his parents and will play with mom or dad with great joy. Before parents start playing, they should learn a few simple truths that will help their little ones get the maximum benefit from play therapy:
- A baby is a full-fledged person who must be accepted entirely.
- Respect and take into account the wishes of the little man.
- Never force your baby to play by force or threats.
- The atmosphere during the game should be cheerful and carry a positive mood.
- Monitor the emotional stress experienced by the baby.
Monitor your child's well-being. If your fidget starts to get distracted, yawn, rub its eyes, or become capricious, stop the game immediately. Invite your child to change the type of activity. For example, go for a walk. Or maybe the baby is tired from intense activities, then it is best to put the baby to sleep for a while. Sometimes the foolish one begins to behave too actively. Increased excitability and hyperactivity are also reasons to change the type of activity to a calmer one.
Creative games, such as drawing and modeling, require the perseverance of a fidget. However, preschool children do not like to sit in one place for a long time. Parents should alternate between quiet games and active role-playing games: “mother-daughter” games, playing doctor or drinking tea with dolls.
Usually classes begin with drawing. Ask your child to draw a house, a family. Together with your preschooler, paint flowers and leaves on the trees. While drawing, ask why the little one drew his mom and dad this way, why he chose the outfits for them. The details of the drawing can tell a lot to attentive parents. The presence of black, gray, brown colors indicates that the baby feels anxious at home and is afraid of something. Perhaps the little man is affected by the unfavorable situation in the family.
Playing with toys also reveals the baby’s true attitude towards the family and the environment. If the dolls do not have names, or the baby calls them insulting words: shaggy, incompetent, stupid, stupid - parents should think about their attitude towards the younger generation. Sometimes a preschooler starts fights among dolls, imitates car accidents; the child’s toys communicate only by shouting and swearing.
All these symptoms are not only problems with the perception of the surrounding reality, they demonstrate problems in the family of the foolish one. After all, most often the mental problems of children have roots in family upbringing. And then it is necessary to correct not only the behavior of the child, but also the rethinking of the adults’ own behavior.
How is play therapy carried out?
Play therapists use several techniques to treat children, either physically or cognitively, who have difficulty playing. Many of the methods are rooted in psychotherapy and psychology. Some are designed to enable the child to adapt to physical impairments using step-by-step processes, modified processes, adaptive equipment, or assistive technologies.
The act of playing itself is often therapeutic for children. Activities such as playing games, drawing or stringing beads help children develop flexibility and dexterity while experiencing control over their environment. Interacting with other children, or an animal, can help a child communicate; thereby eliminating the feeling of isolation.
There are three forms of play therapy:
- Number directed play occurs when the child is encouraged to continue playing whatever she or she wishes. This gives the therapist a snapshot of how the child is feeling and what issues may be preventing the child from fully expressing him or herself in other situations.
- Directed play occurs when the therapist determines how the play will proceed.
- Play indications are when the therapist teaches the child adapted play techniques.
Play therapy can be done on a one-on-one basis between therapist and child, or in a group—or both. In addition, play therapy covers many types of play, from physical activities that require movement, to using toys in groups or alone, to passive activities like listening to a story.
During play therapy, children will learn:
- Advantages of the game
- How to have fun
- How to make friends
- How to channel the momentum to play the action
- How to play and together with others
- How to Thrive in a Group Setting
- How to minimize physical limitations
- How to physically manipulate toys and objects
- How to comply with socially accepted norms of the game
Techniques used in play therapy include:
- Talk therapy
- Conversation to engage with a child
- History time featuring books that support positive messages
- Animal interaction
- Human interaction with children and colleagues or adults with authority
- Time for family
Play with purpose often and have fun. Toys are exciting, exploitative and manipulative. Arts and crafts promote exchange and openness. Large art projects created with others provide a sense of partnership. Dramatic dance or musical performances engage the senses.
It's easy to understand why children embrace play therapy compared to other treatments; they often do not perceive play in a negative light; difficult or painful.
Game room in an educational institution
In a kindergarten that meets the modern needs of parents, a special room should be equipped for a psychologist to work with children. To achieve the optimal effect from classes, it must meet certain criteria.
Requirements for the size and design of the room
To work with one preschooler or a group of 2-3 children, a room with dimensions of 3.5 m by 4.5 m is sufficient. This is necessary to ensure a comfortable distance between the adult and the child. For group classes where the number of participants is more than 4 people, at least 27 m2 is required. Then the risk of injury during outdoor games will be minimized. For the child’s comfort, there should be no doors with glass elements or windows located on the interior walls, otherwise they should have curtains or blinds. It is advisable to lay linoleum on the floor; carpet is laid only for appropriate games. It is necessary to exclude dark tones from the interior, cover the walls with light washable paint: play therapy should evoke positive emotions.
equipment requirements
Toy shelves rigidly attached to the walls are placed no higher than 1 m from the floor: children should be able to demonstrate independence without harming themselves. Ideally, a small bathroom adjoins the study room. The room is equipped with tables with a wooden surface. Slides with drawers are also good, especially if you can draw and wash on their surface. The classroom for activities in kindergarten is equipped with the following groups of toys:
- conveying the real world around us - a family of dolls, a house, transport, a cash register, puppets;
- for self-expression in creativity and weakening emotions - clay, sand, water, cubes, paints with a palette;
- giving the opportunity to react to aggression - guns, predatory animals, toy soldiers, rubber knives.
Dramatherapy
Drama therapy is a targeted method of influencing the patient, with the help of which the psychotherapist achieves the manifestation of any emotions in order to normalize and restore his emotional state. This technique is based on invented dramatic plots. By participating in the enacted story, without noticing to himself, the patient gets used to the role offered to him and thereby pushes himself to solve the psychological problem that has arisen. Drama therapy has found its application in the treatment of such disorders as:
various unresolved psychological problems; minor psychological deviations; intra-family conflicts; psychological disorders.
Drama therapy also includes the resource technique of art therapy and involves the implementation of several sessions, with the help of which the psychotherapist helps the patient to establish contact with the outside world and solve his personal problems. When using this technique, for most patients the result of stabilization of the psychological state occurs in the shortest possible time.
Home play therapy
Parents are concerned about whether it is possible to carry out play therapy work at home, without the participation of a professional psychologist. Experts advise that you definitely consult with a psychologist in each specific case so that the psychologist can select the necessary exercises for a particular child and solve his problems.
You can complete the entire session of such treatment in a specialist’s office or attend several classes to learn how to properly perform the exercises of the prescribed treatment. Psychologists believe that the best results come from activities with the presence of significant adults for the child - parents, as well as grandparents. The foolish child, feeling his parents nearby, behaves more relaxed.
The maximum benefit from play therapy, as well as a strong psychological impact on a preschooler, is provided by games in which relatives and loved ones act together with the child. Such treatment sessions are also useful for parents, because joint activities help to better understand their own child, establish trusting contact with the baby, and strengthen relationships within the family.
Play therapy for children
The leading activity of children is play. Game therapy is ideal for identifying and correcting negative emotions. In the game, children learn new information and develop fine motor skills. They also develop socialization skills, specifically teamwork and contact with other people.
Play therapy is ideal for working with children. It is not used for non-contact schizophrenia and autism. However, it must be used for:
- Eliminate trauma associated with parental divorce.
- Treatment and prevention of phobias, fears, complexes.
- Correction of anxious and aggressive behavior.
- Eliminate stuttering.
- Improving learning ability and eliminating other learning difficulties.
- Elimination of mental retardation or mental retardation and other problems.
When working with children, two factors are taken into account:
- The effectiveness of the method, which must correspond to the goals of correction.
- The effectiveness of the technique directly when working with a specific child.
The results of play therapy should be normal mental and mental development, normalization of emotionality, the emergence of interest in the world around us and other children, the formation of behavior that will be adapted to society, etc. With the help of play therapy, behavior that may be considered antisocial or painful is corrected.
What is "play therapy"? A little history
Back in 1913, Sigmund Freud decided to use this technique to work with children. He was guided by the fact that a child shows his activity through play and thereby reveals passive sources of experiences.
Then, almost 20 years later, his example was followed by Melanie Klein, who preferred to take the role of an observer in this type of therapy. In her work, she practiced bringing awareness to children of their own behavior and state through play.
Anna Freud went against her in 1946, who believed that in play therapy the doctor should occupy a dominant position, in principle, like the patient’s parents, whom she actively involved. In addition, she used dolls that interpreted the people around the child, and through them she resolved conflict situations, behavioral problems and life relationships.
Play therapy began to gain momentum in the forties. Various techniques, varieties and directions of this method of treatment have appeared. And since then, IT has only improved because it has good practice.
Play therapy in kindergarten
Play therapy becomes very important during the period when a child goes to kindergarten. It is from the age of 2 that you can begin to correct his behavior
In the process, the child gains new knowledge and learns new skills. Moreover, there is a correction of his emotional sphere and behavior. All gaps that were created by parents are now eliminated during the game.
The child should feel psychologically comfortable. The therapist directs play activity in three directions:
- Teaching children to be friendly with each other.
- Affirmation of “I” for the child himself.
- Developing respect in children for other people's selves.
The child should enjoy the process. Only in this case is it possible to help him in overcoming his own clamps and complexes that have already been formed. Every child has various fears that do not go away only because he is not allowed to cope with them, overcome them, solve them. In the circle where the child constantly resides, all the conditions are created for the creation of pressures and fears. Play therapy offers conditions where the child can get rid of them.
Examples of games are:
- "Cat and mouse." One player is selected to play the cat/cat. Everyone else will be mice. They squeak and run while the cat is sleeping. As soon as the cat wakes up, the mice scatter into the houses so as not to be caught.
- "Daughters and mothers." The child plays with dolls, where he usually plays out the situation within his family.
On practice
For preschoolers
For young children, play activity is the leading one. Therefore, most activities in kindergarten are based on it.
What kind of games and exercises can be used for preschool children aged 3-4 years:
If at 3-4 years the main task of play therapy is training and development (of the same cognitive abilities), then at 6-7 years it acquires a more diagnostic and corrective nature, allowing the correction of psychological problems.
For children 6-7 years old:
For problem children
Play therapy in childhood can effectively treat all kinds of personality and behavior disorders.
For children with disabilities
Play for children with disabilities often remains the only way to express themselves due to their specific characteristics. At the same time, it allows specialists to help treat the underlying disease and develop the child as much as possible.
Recommended: finger (Bird, Horned Goat, Bell), with waste material (laces, clothespins, beads, buttons), educational (construction set, mosaic, puzzles).
With anxious children
Research shows that play therapy has a harmonizing and corrective effect on the level of anxiety in children and on their mental state in general.
Relaxation and breathing exercises: Fight, Balloon, Gift under the tree, Piper, Barbell. For relaxation: Dancing hands, Waterfall. To develop a sense of trust and self-confidence: Bunnies and elephants, Change of rhythms and many others.
For preschoolers with aggression
Children become aggressive because they have nowhere to throw out the negative energy accumulated as a result of psychological trauma. Play therapy helps them with this.
To relieve muscle tension: Ball, Circus, Chase away Baba Yaga, Caricature, Let's make a fairy tale, Glue rain. For such children, outdoor play activities will also be useful: Two rams, Tukh-tibi-duh, Ask for a toy (in verbal and non-verbal versions).
Board games
Activities with children can be not only active. It is also possible to use board games. As art therapy, they contribute to the development of the child’s abilities and personal qualities. In addition, they combine play with learning. That is why conducting such classes can become a wonderful educational tool for preschoolers.
Board game therapy develops a child’s attention and visual memory, logic and intelligence, imaginative thinking and imagination. As a rule, several people should take part in such classes at once.
In this case, art therapy games promote interaction between children. By obeying the proposed rules, preschoolers learn proper communication with each other, patience while waiting for their turn to make a move, empathy for their opponents, as well as accepting with dignity not only victories, but also defeats. Thus, board games in art therapy allow you to correctly form a child’s personal qualities.
Among the main advantages of such activities is the lack of need for playgrounds and complex equipment. For them you only need a table and all the necessary items (cubes, chips, cards, etc.). Such games have the following advantages:
teach preschoolers to recognize and then remember a wide variety of phenomena and objects, develop the child’s attention and expand their vocabulary, doing this in an interesting and colorful way; prepare the baby for life by offering him certain problems, solving which the baby develops his skills and abilities, gaining life experience; help improve reaction speed, dexterity, coordination and eye. For example, the board game “Shopping Therapy”
It is intended for girls. Her goal is to make as many purchases as possible while spending as little money as possible. During the game, the participants will have to take turns making moves. This will allow them to enter the boutiques of the shopping center. It has two floors. At the first of them, you are offered to buy various outfits, as well as choose accessories to go with them. The second floor is the entertainment area. You can get here by going to the “elevator” field. The participant who finds herself on the second floor must skip one lap. Here, when entering the fields of restaurants and bars, she will have to pay a certain amount. The one who is lucky finds himself in the field of luck. Here you can win a certain amount of prize money. The winner is the participant who managed to buy the most goods while spending the least money on them.
For example, the board game “Shopping Therapy”. It is intended for girls. Her goal is to make as many purchases as possible while spending as little money as possible. During the game, the participants will have to take turns making moves. This will allow them to enter the boutiques of the shopping center. It has two floors. At the first of them, you are offered to buy various outfits, as well as choose accessories to go with them. The second floor is the entertainment area. You can get here by going to the “elevator” field. The participant who finds herself on the second floor must skip one lap. Here, when entering the fields of restaurants and bars, she will have to pay a certain amount. The one who is lucky finds himself in the field of luck. Here you can win a certain amount of prize money. The winner is the participant who managed to buy the most goods while spending the least money on them.
Thus, "Shopping Therapy" is a game that is an interesting and exciting entertainment. Here, each of the participants will feel as if she was in a real shopping center, where she is offered to buy everything she wants for money.
The game package includes the playing field itself, as well as 60 red and 24 yellow tokens. They come with 4 passports, 60 banknotes, a move die, 72 cards, and 20 Excursion cards. The game rules are also included.
"The use of gaming technologies as play is a therapeutic tool for preschoolers"
The use of gaming technologies as a play therapy tool for preschool children
Preschool age is a crucial period in a child’s life, during which the foundation of his mental and physical health is formed. If a child does not have positive experience in communicating and resolving various social conflicts, as well as overcoming failures, then he simply will not be able to become strong either mentally or physically.
One type of self-therapy is a game, when immersed in which a child can independently cope with various problems. The psychological mechanisms of gaming activity are based on the fundamental needs of the individual for self-affirmation, self-expression, self-regulation, self-realization and self-determination.
The use of play as a therapeutic tool is based on the theory of play, the authors of which are A.N. Leontyeva, L.S. Vygotskaya, D.B. Elkonin. Thus, according to Vygotsky, play is a space for a child’s “internal socialization” and a means for him to assimilate various social attitudes.
In his works, Leontyev noted that the game provides the individual with freedom of imagination. Elkonin added to this that in the age periodization of children, a special role belongs to leading activities. Moreover, for each age it has its own content. In all leading activities, certain mental new formations arise and are formed.
It is the game that acts as the leading activity for preschool children. The importance of the game and its use for correctional purposes was noted by many Soviet researchers. For example, A.S. Spivakovskaya believed that the main principle of play correction is the impact on the child, taking into account the characteristics of a specific situation and contact.
The essence of the principle is as follows: in order to trigger the mechanism for restructuring the behavior of children who are timid in communication, it is necessary to change the conditions in which the child is located. This means that unwanted behaviors are required to occur.
L.A. Abrahamyan, while studying ways to overcome negative emotional states through games, was able to reveal in detail the process of transformation as an important condition for the restructuring of the emotional and personal sphere. According to the researcher, during dramatization play the child begins to experience ambivalent experiences. This means that he simultaneously “sculpts” an image and thereby transforms himself, and also looks at this process from the outside and rejoices at the changes taking place.
A.I. Zakharov believed that the purpose of correction is to transfer the child’s negative emotions and qualities to the play image. Children tend to endow characters with their own negative emotions and character traits; they also transfer their shortcomings to the doll, which cause him any trouble.
There are three main functions of play psychotherapy:
- therapeutic. Therapeutic games are organized to eliminate affective obstacles in interpersonal relationships;
- educational. Thanks to such games, socialization and more adequate adaptation of children to real life are ensured;
- diagnostic. Such games are aimed at identifying various mental disorders.
The content of children's games is constantly evolving. Gradually, there is a transition from games in which objective activity dominates to games where the main content is submission to the rules of social behavior, as well as building relationships between people.
Target guidelines for the use of gaming technologies.
The following guidelines are distinguished:
1) Didactic. They are aimed at solving the following problems:
- expansion of horizons and cognitive activity;
- the formation of certain skills and abilities that children may need in practical activities;
- development of children's labor skills, general educational skills and abilities.
2) Educating. These include:
- the formation of different approaches, ideological and aesthetic attitudes;
- nurturing children's independence and will;
- development of a sense of collectivism, communication, cooperation.
3) Developmental. They solve the following problems:
- development of speech, memory, thinking, attention;
- development of skills to find analogies, make comparisons and comparisons;
- development of fantasy, imagination and creative abilities;
- development of motivation for educational activities and skills to find optimal solutions in various life situations.
4) Socializing. These include:
- adaptation of children to the conditions of their environment;
- familiarization with the norms and values of society;
- conducting psychotherapy;
- communication training;
- stress control.
The structure of the game includes the following processes:
- the roles that the players take on;
- playful use of objects, including the replacement of real objects with game ones;
- game actions as a means of realizing selected roles;
- building real relationships between players;
- plot (content
), which refers to the area of reality that is conditionally reproduced during the game.
A role is a unit of play and at the same time a central point that unites all its aspects. The plot of the game is the area of reality reproduced in it. The content of the game is understood as what is reproduced by children as the main point of activity and relationships between adults in their adult lives. Due to this, during play, the child’s voluntary behavior is formed, as well as his socialization.
Play therapy is used both individually and in groups. Group play therapy is used in cases where the child has a need for communication. If such a need has already been formed, then the best option is individual play therapy.
A contraindication for individual play therapy is often the extreme degree of mental retardation of the child. Contraindications for group forms are:
- the presence of pronounced childhood jealousy, which manifests itself in the form of competition with peers;
- increased aggressiveness;
- pronounced antisocial behavior, which can pose a real threat to other participants in the game;
- being in a state of stress.
However, in any case, before group play therapy, an individual form should be used, which allows you to relieve acute symptoms and prepare the child for further work in the group.
Group play therapy is a psychological and social process during which children naturally come into contact with each other and acquire new knowledge both about themselves and about other children. This approach is recognized as an effective means of education and is often used to prevent psycho-emotional personality disorders.
With the help of play therapy, the following tasks are solved:
- assisting the child in realizing his real “I”;
- increasing the child's self-esteem;
- development of its potential;
- training in responding to internal conflicts, fears, and aggressive tendencies;
- reducing anxiety and guilt.
When communicating, children help each other share responsibility for building interpersonal relationships and gain experience in building contacts with other people.
To assess the level of development of social and communication skills in preschool children and interpersonal communication skills, the following criteria are used:
1) Interpersonal communication skills (starting from a young age):
– the use of various etiquette speech formulas, for example, greetings, farewells. Used both at the initiative of an adult and a child;
– expression of mood;
– various ways of establishing contact (by last name, first name, in other words, visual communication, tactile contact);
- behavior in conversation. Attention is drawn to:
a) gestures and facial expressions (untied, adequate, meager);
b) the location of the partners ( facing each other, turned away from the partner);
c) tone of communication (friendly/unfriendly).
2) Interpersonal communication skills (starting from senior preschool age):
- the ability to hear and listen to the interlocutor (interrupts, does not interrupt, attentive/inattentive);
- attitude towards unethical expressions of the interlocutor (rejection, conformal);
- control of the interlocutor during a conversation ( makes comments, does not notice mistakes, seeks help from adults);
- understanding the emotional mood of the interlocutor and expressing one’s attitude towards this (indifference, empathy).
To assess these skills, a five-point system is used:
- 5 points – communication in accordance with the norm;
- 4 points – one deviation from the norm;
- 3 points – two deviations from the norm;
- 2 points – three or more deviations from the norm;
- 1 point – inconsistency of means of communication with the developed normative indicators in each communicative action.
Joint gaming activities, which are organized by the teacher, involve various games:
1) Communication games. During communicative games, the teacher sets goals for solving a number of problems:
- ensuring the child understands his uniqueness, providing assistance in overcoming his own insecurities, supporting his positive self-esteem;
- formation of ethical standards and rules of conduct for children;
- the child’s conscious perception of his experiences, emotions and feelings.
It is recommended to conduct communication games on a daily basis. For the younger group, classes are held in the morning, which allows them to unite the children and create a positive attitude for further activities.
2) Games with sand. They have a positive effect on the emotional well-being of children, since sand has the ability to eliminate negative mental energy and bring the human psyche to a normal state.
They develop:
- sensory abilities;
- creative imagination, out-of-the-box thinking;
- fine motor skills of hands;
- self-regulation processes;
- perception, memory, thinking;
- speech;
- positive attitude towards yourself and others;
- a harmonious psycho-emotional state, due to which the correction of fears, stress, anxiety, and worries is carried out.
3) Dramatization games. Such games can vary in organization and objectives:
- imaginative role-playing games with or without dolls, in which children act out roles through dramatization;
- director's Initially an adult, and then a child creates scenes and theatrical action. Intonation and facial expressions are used to depict characters and their roles. This type of games includes theatrical (toy theater, on reel, flat)
and stand games
(stand-book, flannelgraph).
The peculiarity of theatrical play activity is that it combines the rudiments of role-playing games and the rudiments of theatrical art.
In theatrical games, all the characteristic features of role-playing games are preserved:
- availability of content;
- creative idea;
- role;
- plot;
- role and organizational actions and relationships.
Theatrical games, when compared with role-playing games, always develop according to a predetermined scenario. Such games also ensure the development of cognitive activity and the emotional sphere.
The following tasks are solved with the help of theatrical games:
- enrichment and strengthening of emotional resources and communication means, both verbal and non-verbal;
- development of children's cognitive abilities;
- improvement of perception (sensory cognition);
- development of imagination;
- education of strong-willed qualities;
- development of the ability for self-regulation;
- improving psychomotor skills and releasing muscle tension;
- formation of social culture in children.
To use theatrical games, the child should be prepared accordingly. This work is carried out from a young age, for which the methods of fairy tale therapy and doll therapy are used. At the same time, children attend theaters with adults.
Further work is aimed at enriching emotional, sensory, artistic experience, as well as improving perception and ideas.
At the next stage, the formation of theatrical and play activities is carried out, which involves children mastering simple elements of intonation-plastic expressiveness of images and plot.
The following have proven their effectiveness in theatrical play therapy:
- games that help calm and organize children (“Who’s after who?”, “Let’s go after the blue bird”);
- games aimed at overcoming motor automatism for hyper and hyperactive children (“Opposite movement”, “Stop”);
- sketches, the task of which is to ensure correct understanding of emotionally expressive hand movements and adequate use of gestures (“Enchanted Child”, “That’s What He’s Like”, “Listen to the Claps”);
- sketches that allow you to relax your muscles (“Barbell”, “Humpty Dumpty”, “Quiet Lake”);
- sketches that promote the expression of joy ("Tasty candy"),
surprise
(“Surprise”
), fear (“
Thunderstorm”).
It is necessary that children can analyze their feelings of emotional state and behavior at a specific moment of activity, which is required for them to master self-regulation and acquire the ability to make decisions independently and bear responsibility for them.
A characteristic feature of theatrical games is the presence of a literary or folklore basis for their content, as well as the presence of spectators.
At the same time, all of the listed types of games allow you to solve a whole range of problems:
- formation of consciously accepted moral motives;
- formation of adequate social behavior;
- prevention and resolution of conflicts;
- development of social sensitivity, which presupposes the ability to understand and accept the opinions of others, their aspirations and desires;
- providing assistance in understanding words such as friendship, mutual assistance.
The game, despite the fact that it is entertainment and relaxation, can develop into learning, be used as therapy and become a model of the type of human relationships and manifestations in work.
List of used literature
- Bychkova S.S. Formation of communication with peers among older preschoolers: Methodological recommendations for teachers and methodologists of preschool educational institutions. – M.: ARKTI, 2002. – 96 p.
- Leontyev A. A. Psychology of communication. Tartu, 1974.
- Lisina M.I. Problems of ontogenesis of communication. - M.: Pedagogy, 1986. P.31-57.
- Martynenko L.A. Communicative competence of preschoolers: Collection of games and exercises. – M.: National Book Center LLC, 2016. – 64 p. (Psychological service".
- Prima E. V., L. V. Filippova, I. N. Koltsova, Molostova N. Yu. Development of social confidence in preschool children: A manual for teachers of preschool institutions. – M.: Humanite. Ed. VLADOS center, 2002. - 224 p.
- I – You – We. Program for the social and emotional development of preschool children /Compiled by: O.L. Knyazeva. – M.: Mosaika-Sintez, 2003 – 168 p.
Examples of group and individual classes
Exercises and games for play therapy for preschoolers can be aimed at correcting various problems.
For example, the task “Let’s build a house” is perfect for gaining cooperation experience. Use cardboard boxes, paints, scissors, glue. A joint activity in a group involves distributing roles, and there is something for everyone to do.
To build a friendly relationship, you can play “Compliment”. Children walk around the hall, and when they bump into each other, they say pleasant words to each other, looking into each other’s eyes. Handshakes or hugs are added later.
To create group cohesion, the “Web” task is suitable. Participants sit in a circle. The adult, having communicated some interesting detail about himself, grasps the edge of the thread in his hands and passes the ball to the child opposite. He must name his name and/or tell about himself.
So, as a result of throwing a thread from hand to hand, a tangled web is obtained. Unraveling, everyone passes the ball in reverse order, naming the next participant. When finishing, you can discuss whose story you liked more or made an impression on.
Individual games for play therapy for preschoolers are no less effective. For example, a child is asked to circle his hand and write on each finger a quality that he likes about himself. In place of the palm, add what you don’t like. The exercise provides an opportunity to better understand oneself, and the therapist - a problem with which he will continue to work.
Game or treatment?
Some adults mistakenly consider game therapy to be identical to psychiatry and assume that game therapy should be used in especially rare cases. Recently, there has been a tendency to bring children who do not have obvious problems to a psychologist for play therapy sessions, for a more active and successful development of the child. Often during a session it becomes noticeable that the preschooler has problems that the parents were not aware of.
Play therapy has almost unlimited possibilities for influencing the development of children. While playing, the child learns to express his thoughts, speak more clearly and clearly, and logically justify his actions. Through play, the baby strengthens his will, learns to control and restrain his emotions. While playing, the baby gains confidence in his abilities and interacts with other children and adults. The baby learns to communicate, find friends, and solves communication problems.
Types and features
Sigmund Freud is considered the founder of play therapy as a psychocorrectional method. He used it as an analysis of what was happening to the child, using the method of free association, and this method was not widely used, unlike play therapy according to the method of M. Klein, and later Anna Freud, they considered it as an opportunity to influence the child’s psyche using toys. , associative games and other techniques.
In the book by G.L. Landreth’s “Play Therapy: The Art of Relationships” describes all the stages of the development of this type of therapy, talks about the principles of play therapy, methods and material for the game. It may be of interest to parents whose children are planning to attend play therapy or are already attending it. And also for those who want to use this method themselves.
Today, play therapy is a popular and widely used method. It has several varieties, types and many independent techniques. According to the method of influence they distinguish:
- Non-directive play therapy is spontaneous, client-centered. Using this type of therapy, the specialist does not try to somehow influence or change the child’s behavior or emotions. He is fully involved in the game, can gently guide, but at the same time follows the child, creating the most favorable conditions for him.
- Directive – the specialist takes the leading role in the game. He guides the child, teaches him the basics of behavior, suggests how and what he can do, and takes on the role of organizer and leader of the game.
Depending on the type of games and the material used, structured and unstructured play therapy are distinguished.
Structured - the game uses certain images: toys, puppet theater, images of people, models of animals, food, and so on. By playing with these objects, the child can express his attitude towards them, learn how to handle these objects, or build his own game, taking into account the proposed elements.
Unstructured play involves physical activity and the use of materials such as sand, water, clay, plasticine, paint, and so on. Such games help when a child refuses to cooperate, is unwilling or unable to express his feelings, as well as when it is impossible (for a child) to express the feelings and emotions that overwhelm him, for example, anger at his parents or resentment.
Depending on the number of children, individual and group play therapy is distinguished.
Individual is considered more effective and is recommended for use when working with a child’s emotions, behavior or attitude. Also, for the treatment of emotional or behavioral disorders, only individual sessions are used.
Group play therapy helps improve relationships in a team, teach social and everyday skills, and can also be used to correct fears and anxiety.
What it is
There are a huge number of definitions of this concept. To summarize them, game therapy is a method of psychological or psychotherapeutic influence on a person using games.
At the same time, experts clearly distinguish between two concepts:
- Play therapy is a psychological tool that only has the power to correct emotional and behavioral disorders.
- Play psychotherapy is a psychotherapy tool that deals with the treatment of borderline personality and behavior disorders.
Game therapy differs from ordinary play in that it is an organized play activity that has a therapeutic and corrective effect. It is carried out in specially created conditions under the close attention of a psychologist or psychotherapist and has clearly defined goals. The usual game is entertaining and occurs spontaneously, without outside interference.
You should also understand the difference between play therapy and role play. The latter can be presented in two forms.
- As one of the play therapy techniques
The specialist invites a group of patients to simulate events occurring under certain conditions. Participants must act according to their character's inner beliefs. At the same time, it is assumed that their actions will reflect their true motives, which they may, for one reason or another, hide in reality. Here, a role-playing game helps the play therapist understand what exactly is happening to his patient and in what direction to carry out further correction or treatment. She can also demonstrate one of the solutions to a problematic life situation.
- As an entertainment event
An ordinary role-playing game, outside the sphere of psychology and psychotherapy, although distinguished by a clear organization, is still entertaining in nature. All participants fulfill a specific goal set for their characters, the master’s task is to ensure that all the rules are followed, but nothing more.
Bottom line
Play therapy is the leading method when working with children. Parents can also participate if they wish to establish positive relationships with their children. The result of play therapy will be the transformation of a person, the elimination of fears and complexes, the solution of problems and the release of internal potential.
Play therapy can be used when working with adults. Here, various roles are often played out, where the client plays himself, and the means of play therapy act as circumstances and other people.
Game therapy is the immersion of a psychologist into the world of preschoolers. Observing children during play allows us to identify problems and possible causes of their occurrence. Play therapy is designed to help a young patient overcome developmental difficulties, eliminate behavioral problems, and figure out what is really bothering them. A well-conducted session of such a game will allow him to understand how he feels and how to behave better.
The result of the therapy: the child’s self-esteem should increase, communication skills should develop, and the level of anxiety should decrease. It is better if the process takes place in a specially equipped room with a psychologist in a kindergarten.
Functions of play therapy
Play activities perform three functions that are important for the successful work of a specialist with a preschooler in kindergarten:
- Diagnostics. Play therapy helps clarify the characteristics of a child’s personality, his relationships with the outside world and people in particular. Just talking with a child who withdraws for various reasons, it is difficult to understand something, whereas in an informal setting the child at the sensorimotor level shows what he has ever experienced. Spontaneous action will allow the preschooler to express himself most fully, and completely involuntarily.
- Education. Game therapy allows you to learn how to rebuild relationships and expand your horizons during one or several sessions. Thanks to her, the baby goes through a painless process of readaptation and socialization, learns about how everything is organized in the world around him.
- Therapeutic function. The preschooler is not yet interested in the result of the game; what is much more important to him is the process itself, during which he plays out his experiences, fears, awkwardness in communicating with others, and finds a solution to his conflicts and problems. As a result, he not only develops, but also significantly strengthens the necessary mental processes, gradually
Indications for the use of play therapy
The work of a psychologist in a kindergarten with preschoolers is very important. He must promptly determine the need for play therapy sessions with individual children or groups
- isolation and reluctance, inability to communicate;
- phobias and infantilism;
- bad habits and antisocial behavior;
- over-obedience with over-conformity, etc.
The psychologist’s task is to get to know the child and select all the necessary methods that will be useful to him.
Game therapy products
Gameplay activates resources, reveals personal potential and promotes growth. Self-expression through play is directly related to strengthening the mental health of the individual and can be considered as a significant factor in psychocorrectional influence. However, along with this, the psycho-correctional potential of the game process today, despite all its indisputability, is not sufficiently used in practical psychology.
Play psychotherapy is a rare experience for the social development and mental health of a child, while opening up the opportunity for him to enter into an individual relationship with an adult. This could be a psychotherapist, teacher, psychologist, parents, etc. Play activities activate the formation of voluntary mental processes, promote the development of intellectual activity and imagination, lead to the improvement of the musculoskeletal system and volitional activity, to the baby’s transition to thinking in ideas, and the development of speech.
In the course of determining the functions of gaming activity, it is necessary to consider its importance for the correctional and developmental interaction of the mentor with children and promoting the development of trusting relationships between the mentor and parents. As a result, the development and selection of means, specific techniques of play therapy, focused on establishing a positive emotional relationship between children and an adult mentor, the formation of contacts and relationships between them to overcome unsociability, low levels of self-esteem, isolation and phobias.
Play therapy allows the psychotherapist to establish close therapeutic contact with the parents of children in a wide variety of types and configurations, from counseling to training of parent groups. The means of play therapy include a variety of outdoor games, modeling and drawing, games with sand or dolls, communication play therapy, etc.
Communication play therapy has proven itself to be effective in correcting the communicative sphere of preschool children. It can use various game tools and non-game techniques that teach the prevention of conflict situations, aimed at improving mutual understanding and controlling one’s own behavior.
Game therapy tools are designed to simulate reality, which provides the child with the opportunity to experience a feeling of happiness, success, luck, and allows him to reveal his own physical and intellectual abilities. Children's personality is expressed in the conditions of play.
Among the most successful types of play therapy, doll therapy can be distinguished due to its imagery, clarity and materiality, as a result of which the child enters deeper into the gaming reality and plays at being a daughter-mother. A favorite pastime of absolutely all kids is to assign dolls the names of real people around them, or heroes of fairy tales, cartoons, etc. By watching a child play, parents can understand what bothers him, what he likes, what makes him angry.
Today, chess and music play therapy are also used successfully. These therapies were developed to solve several problems at the same time: to understand the baby, influence the child's mind, his emotions and feelings. Even in the Arab tribes, chess was considered the best method of treating nervous diseases. Today there is hardly anyone who wants to dispute the beneficial effects of classical music on the human body.
In our time, play has become the best practice that promotes the development of a child, regardless of his intellectual and physical capabilities. After all, with the help of games, a child learns correct speech, learns to think and make some decisions independently.
Types of therapeutic games
In treatment using gameplay, games are divided into types, depending on the children’s illness. These are the games:
- for diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- with cerebral palsy;
- for diseases of the respiratory organs;
- correcting speech deficiencies, stuttering, speech therapy;
- restoring the physical and psychological state of children;
- for various social deviations.
Some exercises should only be performed under the supervision of a specialist. Most of the play activity can be done at home in the family circle. While playing, the baby, with the help of adults, will achieve his goals.
Any treatment should begin with improving the psycho-emotional state of the baby, which will allow you to establish trusting contact with the little person, relieve nervous tension, get rid of certain types of fear, improve the fidget’s coordination, and improve physical well-being.
- "Blind Man's Bluff." The blindfolded driver must catch one of the children who are running around and clapping their hands, attracting attention. If the driver identifies the caught child, the children change roles.
- "Hide and seek." From the age of 2 years, a child can actively participate in hide and seek. The leader closes his eyes, or is blindfolded, and counts to 10. During this time, the rest of the participants must have time to hide.
- "Swamp" or "obstacle course". Bumps and obstacles are created on the floor using sheets of paper or ropes, pillows, and toys. The winner is the one who is the first to overcome all obstacles without mistakes.
To correct aggression
- "Battle". Weapons are made from crumpled paper or small soft toys. The kids are having a fight. After the victory of one of the parties, reconciliation of the parties necessarily occurs.
- "Boxer". Place the hoop on the floor. The kid in the center of the hoop imitates a boxer's punches.
- "Name-calling." Children stand in a circle. The condition is to call your peer some kind of fruit, vegetable or flower. This condition helps transform aggression into positivity.
