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Play and Playgrounds as Therapeutic Tools
By Dr. Andrew Kind-Rubin

Playgrounds over the last century have become a part of our national consciousness. Most of us have memories of waiting in line to take one’s turn on the slide, watching the world spin by, all the while holding on tightly to the merry-go-round, or having a contest with a friend or sibling to see who can swing the highest. As neighborhoods have become bigger and grander over time, any trip through a typical suburban town will reveal a large and elaborate wooden or metal structure ideal for games of hide-and-seek, fantasy trips to far away lands, or climbing, running and jumping.

While playgrounds were initially designed for the purpose of promoting gross motor activity, they can offer so much more, especially for children with special needs. Certainly they can be used as recreational structures to assist children in developing age-appropriate gross motor skills such as climbing, balancing, and eye/hand coordination. However, consider the possibilities to improve socialization skills that a playground offers. Picture a group of children getting ready to play hide-and-seek. They must work together to design the rules, assign the roles, and play the game. They must come to an agreement even though there will be dissenting points of view and hold those children responsible who do not follow these agreed upon rules. They must decide what is fair, not only in terms of rules, but in terms of team composition, so that the game remains interesting and challenging to all participants. Children who successfully negotiate this seemingly simple but actually complex task, are developing skills in leadership, cooperation, problem solving and empathy, all necessary for the successful negotiation of life in our society. 

Consider another scene. A group of children are huddled around the wheel on the playground platform. They have created an imaginary game in which they are taking a voyage to a far away land. Along the way they encounter fierce sea monsters, blinding monsoons, possible mutinies, loneliness and homesickness. Together they create the story, act out the parts, react to shifts and bumps in the journey, and sometimes develop an ending of happily ever after. These experiences are invaluable in that they provide children with opportunities to use their imagination, work through and problem solve scenarios that are potentially scary or daunting or exciting, and create hopes and dreams for the future.

This same scene can also be imagined with a company of one. Children can choose to be alone as they engage in fantasy play. “Alone time,” something our society has seemingly come to dismiss in favor of structured group activities, is also possible on the playground. Being along with one’s thoughts encourages development of imagination & creativity. Just as important, it allows a child the opportunity to continue to develop self-soothing tools, skills all people need as they encounter frustration, disappointment, and rejection.

Playground – which contains the word “play” – underscores that which is the work of childhood. By playing in a safe way, children will develop the physical, social, intellectual and emotional skills necessary for optimal development.

Dr. Andrew Kind-Rubin is Vice-President, Clinical Services Child Guidance Resource Centers.