Paper details Play is an effective way for you to engage young clients. Children are limited in their self-awareness and verbal capacities. When you interact with a child in play therapy, you are able to learn things about the child’s thought processes and behavior you could not learn by asking the child direct questions.
In this Discussion, you focus on how to apply play therapy strategies with preoperational children—children from about ages 2 through 7. In this stage, children can “mentally represent events and objects … and engage in symbolic play. Their thoughts and communications are typically egocentric” (McLeod, 2010).
As you read and view the Learning Resources for this week, think about how you might apply a particular play therapy strategy with a child in the preoperational stage. If you have had experience treating this age group, think of how you might apply a play therapy strategy to a client you have treated in the past.
If you do not have experience with this age group, consider how you might apply a play therapy strategy in a future situation with a preoperational child. Post a description of one of the play therapy strategies from this week’s Learning Resources and an explanation of why it is considered an effective strategy for working with preoperational children.
Then, explain how you have used this strategy with a client, or how you might use this strategy with a potential client. Explain why the strategy was or would be appropriate for the client in the situation you have described. Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources, citing all references in APA format.
