Therapeutic play uses everyday play to support a child’s wellbeing, and it can be guided by parents, teachers, or support workers with basic training. Play therapy is a structured form of psychotherapy, delivered only by a qualified mental health professional, to help a child work through specific emotional or behavioural difficulties. Both use play, but only one is clinical treatment.

What Is Therapeutic Play?

Therapeutic play is play used with a caring, supportive intention, and it does not require a clinical qualification to offer.

It helps a child build confidence, process everyday feelings, and develop new skills through activities that feel natural and enjoyable to them. Because it is flexible and low-pressure, therapeutic play tends to work best when it is woven into daily routines rather than treated as a separate task.

Parents, teachers, and support workers can all provide it, often with some basic training or guidance from an allied health professional. This is why open-ended, child-led play is such a valuable everyday tool at home, in the classroom, or in respite care.

Common examples include storytelling, pretend play, drawing, building, and imaginative games. These activities give a child a low-pressure way to express what they are feeling, without needing to put it into words.

What Is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is a formal, structured psychotherapy delivered only by a trained mental health professional.

This includes practitioners such as a registered psychologist, accredited play therapist, or credentialed counsellor, working from a recognised theoretical model. The key distinction comes down to who is qualified to deliver the support and what it is used for.

A play therapist uses play to help a child explore emotions, process difficult experiences, and work through anxiety, grief, trauma, or behavioural challenges. Sessions are usually planned around specific therapeutic goals, and progress is tracked over time, in the same way it would be with any other form of psychotherapy.

How Play Therapy Sessions Typically Work

Most play therapy follows either a child-led or a therapist-guided approach, and many practitioners use a blend of both.

In child-led, non-directive sessions, the child chooses the toys, the activity, and the pace, while the therapist observes and gently reflects back what they notice. In directive sessions, the therapist introduces specific activities or games designed to help the child approach a particular feeling or experience. Sessions are typically held regularly over a period of weeks or months, with goals reviewed along the way. A parent or carer is usually kept informed of overall progress, even when the sessions themselves are private.

Key Differences Between Play Therapy and Therapeutic Play

Here is a simple side-by-side comparison.

Common Myths About Play Therapy and Therapeutic Play

Myth: Any adult using toys with a child is doing play therapy. Fact: Play therapy is a protected term for a specific clinical practice. Everyday play with toys is valuable, but it only becomes play therapy when it is delivered by a qualified professional working toward defined therapeutic goals.

Myth: Therapeutic play is only for children with a diagnosis. Fact: Any child can benefit from therapeutic play. It supports everyday emotional regulation, confidence, and skill-building, whether or not a child has a formal diagnosis.

Myth: If a child enjoys play therapy, it is not working. Fact: Enjoyment is part of the process. Play therapy is designed to feel safe and natural to a child, which is exactly what allows difficult feelings to surface gently.

When Might a Family Consider Each Approach?

When Therapeutic Play Is Enough

If your child is generally coping well but would benefit from more confidence, better emotional expression, or stronger social and fine motor skills, everyday therapeutic play at home is often a good starting point.

When Play Therapy May Be Recommended

If your child is showing ongoing signs of distress, has experienced a significant loss or change, or is struggling with anxiety, grief, or behaviour that is not improving with everyday support, it is worth speaking with your GP, paediatrician, or NDIS support coordinator about a referral to a qualified play therapist or psychologist. In the meantime, calming strategies such as those in our guide on how to calm down an autistic meltdown can help a child feel safer day to day.

How to Find a Qualified Play Therapist in Australia

Start with a referral conversation, not a search engine.

Your GP, paediatrician, school counsellor, or NDIS support coordinator can point you toward a registered psychologist or accredited play therapist suited to your child’s needs and, where relevant, your funding pathway. When you speak with a prospective therapist, it is reasonable to ask about their qualifications, their experience with your child’s specific concerns, and how they will keep you informed of progress.

Building Therapeutic Play Into Everyday Routines at Home

Small, consistent moments of play matter more than any single toy or activity. The sections below group everyday therapeutic play by the kind of development it supports.

Sensory Regulation and Calm Spaces

Many families find it helps to pair play with calming, predictable spaces at home, especially after a big day at school or a change in routine. Weighted lap pads and liquid motion bubblers are popular calming tools, and understanding the difference between fidgets and classroom distractions helps when choosing tools for school.

Fine Motor and Hands-On Play

Hands-on play builds the small muscle skills behind writing, dressing, and daily tasks. This includes hand strength and tweezer play, bilateral coordination activities, and crossing the midline during play. For school-aged children, pencil grip support, scissor skills practice, and handwriting readiness activities are natural next steps.

Oral Motor and Communication Play

Play also supports early communication. Tools like the Z-Vibe support oral sensory processing, cause and effect toys build early understanding, and blowing bubbles and everyday games can support articulation through play. For picky eaters, understanding how food choices support jaw development can also help.

Social, Emotional, and Focus-Building Play

Games are a gentle way to build connection and everyday skills. Board games support turn-taking and social confidence, hands-on maths activities build learning skills without it feeling like schoolwork, and toys chosen to support focus can help during quieter, more structured play.

How Aspire Toys Supports Families Choosing Either Path

Aspire Toys is not a play therapy provider. Our role is to make it easier for families to bring therapist-informed, everyday therapeutic play into the home, whether or not your child is also seeing a play therapist.

Our range is curated alongside Occupational Therapists, with attention to toy safety for children who seek oral input. Many items are eligible under NDIS funding. You can read more about using NDIS funding for sensory and OT items, explore what counts as low-cost assistive technology, or view ordering options on our NDIS orders page.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Can therapeutic play replace play therapy?

No. Therapeutic play is a valuable everyday support, but it is not a substitute for clinical treatment. If a child needs help with a specific emotional or behavioural difficulty, a qualified play therapist or psychologist should be involved.

Do I need a referral for play therapy in Australia?

Requirements vary by provider and funding pathway. Speak with your GP, paediatrician, or NDIS support coordinator to understand the referral process that applies to your child’s situation.

Can occupational therapists provide therapeutic play?

Yes. Many occupational therapists incorporate therapeutic, play-based activities into sessions to support sensory, motor, and emotional development, alongside their core OT goals.

Is play therapy covered under NDIS?

Play therapy may be funded under some NDIS plans, depending on how the plan is structured and the goals it supports. Check directly with your plan manager or support coordinator for guidance specific to your child’s plan.

What age is play therapy suitable for?

Play therapy is most commonly used with young children, roughly ages three to twelve, though approaches exist for older children and adolescents. A qualified therapist can advise on the most suitable approach for your child’s age and needs.

Is play therapy the same as behavioural therapy?

No. Play therapy and behavioural approaches are different disciplines with different goals and methods. Some children benefit from one, the other, or a combination, depending on their individual needs. A qualified professional can help determine the right fit.

A Note From Aspire Toys

Understanding the right kind of support for your child is one of the most caring things you can do as a parent. Whichever path fits your family, everyday therapeutic play at home can sit alongside professional support, helping your child feel safe, understood, and free to be themselves.