The Importance of Children's Play During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Our team of child therapists at New Leaf are offering play-based tele-therapy to connect with children of all ages and support their mental health during this critical time.

For children as young as 3 years old, engaging in play, even over the screen, can be extremely beneficial. We know this is a challenging time, but our children need play more than ever! Working with a skilled child therapist or even engaging with your children in play for at least 20 minutes per day can be one of the best things you do.

“Play is children’s language. They act out pretend scenarios as a way to express concerns, ask questions, and, crucially, reshape a narrative. In a pretend scenario, children are driving the plot and can change the outcome of a scary situation or try out different solutions to a problem.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/04/coronavirus-tag-and-other-games-kids-play-during-a-pandemic/609253/?fbclid=IwAR058MMb63UJSCzIezivmXXNb-oQvvp5Gjgtu5ZIxYal5GV3Zwbxy9nR12I

Young Children & Anxiety Treatment

According to the latest research, an estimated 10 to 20 percent of U.S. preschoolers suffer from one of several anxiety disorders. This article illuminates the importance of breaking the link between preschool worries and adult anxiety. Treatment for young children needs to be different than treatment for adults, due to brain differences. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/when-anxiety-happens-early-preschool-treatments-can-help