How Play Therapy Can Help Children With Anxiety

Introduction

Children experience worry and fear just like adults do. A little nervousness before starting school, meeting new people, visiting the doctor, or trying something unfamiliar can be a normal part of growing up. But when anxiety becomes frequent, intense, or starts interfering with everyday life, a child may need additional support.

According to the Canadian Pediatric Society, anxiety becomes more concerning when persistent fears and worries interfere with activities such as school, friendships, sports, or daily routines. Anxiety can also show up through physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, difficulty sleeping, or feeling tense. (Caring for kids)

For younger children, talking about these feelings isn’t always easy. This is one reason play therapy can be a helpful approach for children experiencing anxiety. Through play, children can communicate, explore emotions, develop coping skills, and build a trusting relationship with their therapist.

What Is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is a form of therapy designed specifically for children. Rather than relying only on conversation, it uses play as a way for children to express themselves and explore their experiences.

Children may use toys, art materials, pretend play, games, storytelling, or other activities during sessions. A trained therapist observes and responds to the child’s play therapeutically, creating a safe environment where the child can explore emotions and experiences at their own pace.

As Psychology Today Canada explains, play therapy is more than simply allowing a child to play with toys. It is a therapeutic approach with different methods and theoretical orientations, and trained therapists use play intentionally to support children’s emotional and psychological development.

This can be especially valuable for younger children who may not yet have the words or emotional vocabulary to explain exactly what they are experiencing.

How Does Anxiety Look in Children?

Anxiety doesn’t always look like worry.

Some children may clearly say that they are scared or worried, while others may communicate their anxiety through changes in behaviour, physical symptoms, or avoidance.

Signs can include:

  • Frequent worrying or asking for reassurance
  • Difficulty separating from parents or caregivers
  • Avoiding school, activities, or social situations
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Frequent headaches or stomach aches
  • Irritability or emotional outbursts
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Becoming unusually quiet or withdrawn
  • Fear of making mistakes
  • Excessive fear of particular situations, places, or activities

The Canadian Paediatric Society notes that anxiety can also appear through behaviours such as avoidance, irritability, restlessness, and social withdrawal.

Not every worried or nervous child has an anxiety disorder. Occasional fears are a normal part of childhood. The important consideration is whether the anxiety is persistent or begins interfering with your child’s everyday life.

Why Can Play Therapy Be Helpful for Anxious Children?

1. Play Gives Children Another Way to Communicate

Adults often expect children to explain how they feel with words. But younger children may not understand their emotions well enough to describe them.

Play can provide another form of communication.

A child might use pretend characters to act out a difficult situation, create a story about something that worries them, or repeatedly play out a particular scenario. These activities can give the therapist insight into the child’s emotional world while allowing the child to explore experiences in a way that feels natural.

As described in a Psychology Today Canada article about play therapy, play can give children a way to express experiences and feelings that may be difficult to communicate directly.

2. Play Can Help Children Explore Difficult Feelings

An anxious child may have thoughts or feelings that seem overwhelming.

In a supportive play therapy environment, children can explore fear, uncertainty, frustration, sadness, or other emotions without necessarily having to explain everything directly.

For example, a child who feels nervous about school might use pretend play to recreate classroom experiences. Through that process, the therapist can help the child explore what feels difficult and begin developing healthier ways of coping.

The goal isn’t to force a child to talk about something before they are ready. Instead, therapy provides a safe space where the child can gradually explore what they are experiencing.

3. Play Therapy Can Support Emotional Regulation

Anxiety can create strong physical and emotional reactions. Children may have difficulty calming themselves when they feel overwhelmed.

Therapy can help children recognize their feelings, understand what happens in their bodies when they become anxious, and practice coping strategies.

The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends helping children recognize and name their emotions, model coping skills, encourage small steps toward facing anxiety, and reinforce their efforts.

These skills can become an important part of helping children feel more confident when facing situations that make them nervous.

4. It Creates a Safe Relationship With a Trusted Adult

A strong therapeutic relationship can be an important part of the process.

Child-centred play therapy allows the therapist to create a warm, accepting environment where the child can take the lead in play. This can give children an opportunity to experience a relationship in which they feel heard, respected, and supported.

Research and professional literature have explored child-centred play therapy for a variety of childhood concerns, including anxiety.

What Does Research Say About Play Therapy and Anxiety?

Research on play therapy has examined whether it can help reduce anxiety symptoms in children.

For example, a controlled study published in Children and Youth Services Review examined child-centred play therapy with young children who were anxious.

Another study published in Counselling and Psychotherapy Research examined non-directive play therapy with 20 elementary-aged children who had elevated anxiety scores. The children who participated in 10 play therapy sessions showed a significant reduction in anxiety scores compared with the control group. The researchers also noted that additional research is needed.

These findings are encouraging, but they should not be interpreted as meaning that play therapy is the right treatment for every child or every type of anxiety. A child’s age, needs, circumstances, and the therapist’s approach all matter.

How Parents Can Support an Anxious Child

Parents play an important role in helping children manage anxiety.

One of the most helpful things parents can do is validate the child’s feelings without reinforcing the fear.

For example, instead of saying:

“Don’t worry. Nothing bad is going to happen.”

You might say:

“I can see that you’re feeling worried. I’m here with you, and we can work through this together.”

The Child Mind Institute recommends helping children learn to manage anxiety rather than trying to eliminate every situation that causes them to feel anxious. It also emphasizes avoiding unnecessary avoidance, encouraging children, and modelling healthy ways of handling stress.

You can also:

  • Encourage your child to talk about their feelings.
  • Help them name emotions and physical sensations.
  • Break difficult situations into smaller steps.
  • Praise effort rather than perfection.
  • Give your child opportunities to make age-appropriate choices.
  • Model healthy coping strategies.
  • Maintain consistent routines where possible.
  • Give your child time and space to process difficult experiences.

When Should Parents Consider Play Therapy?

You don’t need to wait until your child’s anxiety becomes severe before looking for support.

Consider speaking with a qualified mental health professional if your child’s anxiety is persistent, is affecting school or friendships, is causing frequent physical complaints, or is preventing them from participating in activities they would normally enjoy.

The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends seeking professional guidance when anxiety frequently affects a child’s everyday activities or when physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, or significant fatigue occur.

A therapist can help determine whether play therapy is an appropriate approach and whether other forms of support may also be beneficial.

What Can Parents Expect From Play Therapy?

Every therapist and therapeutic approach is different, but sessions generally provide a structured, supportive environment where the child can engage in developmentally appropriate activities.

Depending on the approach, the therapist may allow the child to take the lead in play or may use more structured activities designed around specific therapeutic goals.

Parent involvement can also be an important part of the process. Parents may participate in consultations, share observations about what they are seeing at home or school, and learn strategies for supporting their child’s progress outside therapy.

The goal isn’t simply to make a child “stop being anxious.” Instead, therapy can help children better understand their emotions, develop coping skills, build confidence, and feel more capable of handling challenging situations.

Helping Your Child Feel More Confident

Seeing your child struggle with anxiety can be difficult. You may wonder whether you’re doing enough or whether your child’s worries will get worse.

You don’t have to figure everything out on your own.

Play therapy can provide children with a safe and supportive space to express emotions, explore worries, develop coping strategies, and build a stronger sense of confidence. For children who find it difficult to put their feelings into words, play can provide a natural way to communicate.

If you’re concerned about your child’s anxiety, speaking with a qualified therapist can be a helpful first step. Together, you can explore what your child is experiencing and determine what type of support may be appropriate.

At KD Wellness, child-centred therapy provides a supportive, child-focused environment where children can express themselves through play and develop skills to navigate difficult emotions and experiences.

Learn more about Child-Centred Therapy →

Helpful Resources for Parents

If you’d like to learn more about childhood anxiety and play therapy, these resources may be helpful: