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A roadmap to understanding why children, young people, and adults play the way they play and why it really matters

  • Introduces a new framework for understanding play and highlights that play is the architecture of development.
  • Combines insights from neuroscience, cognitive development, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and object relations theories, making complex concepts accessible and applicable to real-life therapeutic settings.
  • Empowers child and adult psychotherapists, educators, and caregivers with evidence-based tools to nurture emotional well- being.
Play comes in many forms, such as solitary play, imaginary play, social play, construction play, and many more. To understand the evolution of play, Can We Play Now? introduces five forms of play: sensory play, attachment play, constructive play, fantasy play, and competitive play. It then links these five forms of play with Maslow’s well-known hierarchy of needs.
Play then becomes a roadmap to understanding the emotional world and identity formation of a child, young person, or adult, and addresses the specific needs of each developmental stage.
This book is ideal reading for any psychotherapists who want to understand the continuing importance of play in their clients’ lives. Clinical examples are integrated to bring the theoretical background of each chapter to life, showing the effectiveness of this approach. The ability to share these insights with child psychotherapists, other professionals who work with children, and parents, facilitates the creation of the best environment possible for each child to face the challenges of today’s world.
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