The Importance of Play in Art Therapy

Written by Samantha Davis

When we think of play, we think of childhood – building sandcastles, colouring, pretending to be superheroes or making mud pies in the garden. As adults, play often slips out of our lives and gets replaced with productivity, responsibility and routine.

Yet the British paediatrician and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott believed that play is not simply something children do for fun. It is one of the most important ways we develop emotionally, build relationships, process difficult experiences and discover who we are. It is where we can begin to make sense of experiences that may be difficult to put into words.

Play gives feelings somewhere to go

Children certainly play because it is enjoyable, but Winnicott argued that this is only part of the story.

Play is how children begin to make sense of a world that can often feel confusing and overwhelming. Through play, they experiment, imagine, test boundaries, express feelings and gradually develop a stronger sense of themselves.

Children often communicate through their play long before they have the words to explain what is happening inside them.

A child might repeatedly build something and knock it down. They might draw storms, volcanoes or monsters.

This is not necessarily "bad" or "naughty" behaviour. It is an opportunity for me, as the therapist, to become curious about what the child might be needing to communicate.

The same can happen for adults.

Sometimes we sit down with a piece of paper and something emerges that we hadn't yet thought about, or didn't consciously know was there. An image, shape or symbol can give form to an experience that has been difficult to articulate.

The artwork becomes somewhere to put the feeling.

A safe place to express big feelings

Winnicott believed that aggression is a normal part of being human. The problem is not that children feel angry. They need a safe relationship in which they can experience and express difficult feelings (including anger and aggression) without the fear of destroying the relationship.

This is just as important in Art Therapy.

"I can feel angry, and the relationship with the therapist survives."

In Art Therapy, a child might tear paper, use dark colours, pound clay or create messy artwork. Rather than immediately stopping these expressions, the therapist can understand them as meaningful attempts to communicate emotions safely.

The artwork can become a container for feelings that might otherwise feel overwhelming.

And perhaps one of the most healing experiences is discovering:

"I can feel this and someone can witness me without judging or reacting."

Mastering anxiety through play

Children also play to master anxiety.

Anyone who has watched a child repeatedly play "hospital" after an operation or play "teacher" after a difficult day at school has witnessed this process.

Repetition is often the mind's way of making a frightening experience more manageable.

The same can happen in Art Therapy. A particular image or theme may return again and again. Rather than rushing to interpret it, I pay attention to the process and allow the meaning to unfold over time.

There isn't always one immediate answer to what an image "means". These images may be the child's way of gradually making sense of difficult experiences in a safe environment.

As an Art Therapist it is essential to stay present and to stay with the unknown, remain curious and allow the process to unfold.

The relationship matters

Healing happens within a relationship.

Winnicott introduced the idea of the "good enough mother" – someone who is reliably present, emotionally available and responsive without needing to be perfect.

Art Therapists aim to provide this same kind of therapeutic relationship.

The therapist does not tell the client what to draw or what the artwork means. Instead, we create an emotionally safe environment where curiosity, creativity and exploration can emerge naturally.

The relationship becomes a kind of holding environment: a place where experiences can be explored without judgement or expectations.

The space between us

Perhaps one of Winnicott's most beautiful ideas is what he called "potential space".

Potential space is the psychological space that exists between ourselves and another person. For an infant, it develops between mother and baby. In therapy, it develops between therapist and client. It is a place where it becomes safe to experiment, wonder, play, create and reflect.

Art Therapy creates this potential space through both the therapeutic relationship and the creative process.

It is in this space that something new can emerge. Sometimes it's something that neither the client nor therapist could have anticipated.

You don't need to be artistic

One of the questions I hear most often is: "But I'm not artistic. Can I still do Art Therapy?"

The answer is: absolutely! Art Therapy isn't about making beautiful pictures or being "good" at art.

You might draw stick figures, scribble, work with clay, make marks or simply cut and stick objects. The art is not the end product. It is part of a process of exploration and self-expression.

Sometimes an image can express something that words simply cannot access. Through this process, clients can discover new perspectives, develop emotional resilience and reconnect with parts of themselves that may have been hidden or silenced.

Play doesn't end in childhood

Winnicott believed that healthy adults continue to play through creativity, imagination, humour, movement, curiosity and meaningful engagement with life.

When adults lose touch with their ability to play, they often describe feeling stuck, disconnected or emotionally flat. Like being in survival mode.

In Art Therapy, creative play can become a way of reconnecting with vitality. It gives us permission to experiment, to find flow, and to create without needing to know the outcome.

Whether someone is working through anxiety, grief, trauma, depression or life transitions, the creative process offers an opportunity to experiment, reflect and grow within the safety of a supportive therapeutic relationship.

It is within this shared space between therapist and client, through creativity, trust and curiosity, that healing can begin.

Art Therapy in Cape Town and Online

I provide a safe, confidential space where children, adolescents and adults can explore their inner world through creative expression.

You don't need any artistic ability. You simply need to be willing to be curious.

Together, through the therapeutic relationship and the creative process, we can discover new ways of understanding yourself, processing difficult experiences and moving towards healing.

If you'd like to explore whether Art Therapy might be right for you, your child or your team (yes you heard me correctly), get in touch to arrange an appointment.

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The Importance of Play in Art Therapy

Play gives feelings somewhere to go

A safe place to express big feelings

Mastering anxiety through play

The relationship matters

The space between us

You don't need to be artistic

Play doesn't end in childhood

Art Therapy in Cape Town and Online

Feel grounded and creative

Art Therapy Courses / Workshops in South Africa

Art Therapy Courses / Workshops in South Africa

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