Concept created by
a Children's Therapist

How can I help my child
with their emotions?

What is a
therapeutic story?

As a children's therapist, this is the question I have been asked the most by parents, and as a parent, what I most often asked myself. We all want the best for our tiny humans as they grow and navigate their rainbow of emotions and new experiences.

Emotions at Play, a collaboration between a play and creative arts therapist, and an award winning illustrator, has been designed as a helping hand through this . Together we bring you the magic of therapeutic storytelling, the most engaging characters and illustration, a unique and immersive playful experience, and that all-important connection with their favourite playmate - you!

Therapeutic stories are designed to help children to process difficult feelings. They often introduce this through simple metaphor, allowing an emotion or new experience to be introduced via the safe emotional distance of a character. The experience of this character is designed to gently mirror the child's emotional journey, reflecting this back to them and helping them to problem solve and feel understood.

There is no better way of addressing feelings with young children, because play is their natural language. Unlike adults who have the ability to consciously talk through their emotions and experiences, this is not how children process feelings.

This is because the part of the brain responsible for 'thinking about thinking' has not yet fully developed. In fact, the prefrontal cortex is not developed until at least the mid twenties!

Play engages the creative right side of the brain, meeting children where they are developmentally. Used alongside the left brain thinking and learning, this aims to provide the magic recipe that is Emotions at Play. Our stories invite the adult and child to journey alongside the character, providing a developmentally appropriate and fun way to learn about and process feelings.

There are four collections in our book series, with every story book sitting within one of these colour coded titles.

In your Emotions at play book, you will find simple experiments, art and crafts, fun games and sensory activities weaved throughout the tale to bring the story off the page and into the child's world. With the help of our mascot, 'Rags', children are encouraged to lead the play and be curious about the characters. The creative activities centre around things you are likely to have to hand, such as recycled and natural materials, keeping the materials accessible to you and kind to our planet.

Every story has it's own focused parent/carer information area on our website, accessed by a QR code that comes with the book. This is filled with tips and support.

Children don't say

" I had a bad day, can we talk?

They say

"Will you play with me?"

Lawrence Cohen

Join the
Program

So, how does
it all work together?

How will playing help?

This is the part we are really passionate about.

Explains a lot, right?

Feelings

Challenges

Diversity

Experiences

Therapeutic story

Art & craft

Experiments

Sensory activities

Fun & Games

As a parent or carer, you know your child the best and you are your child's favourite and most important playmate. Through Emotions at Play you will learn how to make the most out of this very important role with top tips and guidance on ways to bring in connection and emotional understanding through the play.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

JAYNE, TEACHER

As a teacher, I love the concept of Emotions at Play. Let's help children to understand their emotions at the earliest opportunity and help them be school ready.

STEPH, MUM OF 3

What a fantastic idea for helping children to talk about their emotions. I can't wait for the first books to land. I think I'll collect them all!

ANNA, THERAPIST

I always recommend 1:1 playtime at home to parents because it has so many benefits. Emotions at play is a wonderful way to address experiences and feelings in a developmentally appropriate way for young children.