Puppet Play in Child-Centred Play Therapy

Puppets therefore can be used in a child-centered approach

as tools for concrete and abstract thought

Symbolic Function of Play

Piaget mentioned that the symbolic function of play

“provides the child with the live, dynamic, individual language indispensable for the expression of his subjective feelings for which language alone is inadequate.”

(Hartwig, 2014, p. 205)

Child-Centered Play Therapy

Why Should Therapists Use Puppets?

• Developed by Axline
• 8 Principles
• Non-directive therapy between the child and therapist that assumes children have an innate ability in self growth.
• During the play therapy, children can choose their own expectations, instead of following the therapist's lead.

• Colourful/ range of shapes and sizes
• Can represent animals or characters in a story
• Establish positive relationship with the child.
• Express a wide range of feelings
• Exploration of real- life experiences
• Reality testing of limits
• Development of a positive self-image
• Development of self-understanding

(Landreth, 2012)

(Hartwig, 2014)

(Landreth, 2012)

• Allow for physical action and nonverbal expression.
• Helps develop a positive self-image and understanding
• Provides opportunity to develop self control.

When Is Puppet Therapy Not Useful?

Puppet Play in

Child-Centered Play Therapy

• can over stimulate borderline children
• can seduce them to reveal more than they comfortably can or therapeutically should
• It’s important to continuously assess the child’s anxiety levels

Choosing Puppets

• Use hand puppets rather than marionettes, muppets or ventriloquist dummies
• Choose a puppet that can fit both the child and the adult, so the child can switch roles if they want
• Provide a selection of 15-20 puppets: this allows for choice without overwhelming the child
• Puppets should be soft, easy to manipulate and washable.
• Puppets should have universal symbolism (no Santa Claus)
• Culturally diverse (including skin or fur colour)

(Landreth, 2012)

By: Danielle Bartha, Alicja Frankowski, Sylvia Lee, Wen Lo (Hannah), Veronica Palacios and Bryna Sabourin

Facilitative Skills

1) Acknowledging non verbal behavior

• refrain from labeling toys, and focus on what the child the believes the puppet is doing.

2) Reflecting content

• Paraphrase what the puppet is saying by relating it to your puppet

3) Reflecting Feelings

• Validate the feelings of the puppet “ The dragon is very angry!”

4) Facilitating Decision Making and Responsibility

• Return responsibility to the child.

5) Facilitating Esteem-Building and Encouragement

• provide encouragement and acknowledge efforts (NO PRAISE)
• Ex. You’re working hard to get one on each hand.

(Hartwig, 2014)

Choosing Puppets For Children Who Have Experienced Abuse

• Turtles with a shell which they can retreat
• Sharks and spiders that have the potential to scare others
• Fairy godmothers who grant wishes
• Police who uphold laws
• Reversible puppets who can change into another character
• Animal puppets

(Hartwig, 2014)

Research on Puppet Play

Stay in Metaphor

• The biggest decision is deciding when to connect to the child, and when to connect to the metaphor (try staying in the metaphor)
• Use third person grammar
• Ex. This one is hitting another one.
• Do not mistreat the puppet, when you take it off as the child grows attached to it
• Best to respond making eye contact and talking to the other puppet

(Bromfield, 1994)

Puppets are shown to help in different settings:

1) Therapeutic Settings:

- behavioural issues through free expression and the ability to verbalize or understand emotions and behaviours.

2) Educational Settings:

-class guidance lessons

- reduction of attitudes of mental illness

3) Hospital Settings:

-coping with illness by modeling certain procedures to reduce emotional trauma

4) Group and Family Settings:

Overcome family challenges and narrative therapy

Activity Time!

In pairs, nominate one person to act as the therapist and another person to act as the client. Use your puppets to act out something that's on your mind.

(Hartwig, 2014)

When Are Puppets Not Useful?

Possible Scenarios

• Puppets can over-stimulate children with borderline personality disorder.
• Puppets can seduce them to reveal more than they comfortably or therapeutically should.
• Therapists must always assess children's anxiety levels.

5. Play Therapy Settings

(Bromfield, 1995)

1) Family conflict.

2) Separation anxiety.

3) Illness and disease.

4) Bullying.

5) Reaching your anxiety threshold in

because of school.

6) You came home and found your boyfriend/girlfriend cheating on you.

7) Saying "No".

Be free to be creative!

Effective in healing children struggling with:

- Traumatic grief

- Behavior issues

- PTSD

- Autism

- Family Separations

(Hartwig, 2014)

Example: Puppets and Play Therapy For

children with autism

References

• The study found that symbolic play skills are associated with speech and language abilities in children with autism (Mundy, Sigman, Ungerer & Sherman, 1987)
• Children with autism can engage in symbolic play through playing with puppets.
• By playing with puppets, children with autism can be engaged in
• emotional and imaginative play
• Imaginative play can promote symbolic and abstract thought.
• Symbolic play skills are associated with language abilities in children with autism. (Mundy et al., 1987)
• Use imagination to communicate their emotions non verbally.
• Build their creativity skills.

Bromfield, R. (1995). The use of puppets in play therapy. Child and Adolescence Social Work Journal, (12)6, 435-444.

Frandsen, M. (2011, February 11). Puppets, play therapy can improve social skills, speech for children with autism. Examiner.com. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.examiner.com/article/puppets-play-therapy-can-improve-social-skills-speech-for-children-with-autism

Hartwig, K. E. (2014). Puppets in the playroom: utilizing puppets and child-centered facilitative skills as a metaphor for Healing. International Journal of Play Therapy, (23)4, 204-216.

Landreth, G. L. (2012). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge/

Taylor & Francis Group.

(Frandsen, 2011)