Calgary child psychologist guiding a play therapy session using sand tray figures at Creative Sky Psychology.

Play Therapy in Calgary

“Play is the language of childhood. And in therapy, it becomes the way healing begins.”

When your child struggles to express their feelings with words, their play reveals what’s really going on. Whether it's a doll left out of the group, a tower that keeps falling, or a superhero who’s always rescuing — there's meaning in the make-believe.

At Creative Sky Psychology, we use play therapy to help children process experiences, express emotions, and build coping skills — all in a way that feels safe, natural, and developmentally appropriate.

Because for kids, play is learning and communication.

Child using sand tray figures in a creative play therapy session with a Calgary psychologist at Creative Sky Psychology.

What Is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is a research-backed, child-centered approach that uses toys, games, and imagination to support emotional, behavioral, and relational growth.

Through play, children can:

  • Communicate thoughts and feelings they can’t express verbally

  • Reenact confusing or distressing experiences safely

  • Explore problem-solving and emotional regulation

  • Develop social skills and relational confidence

  • Build self-esteem and emotional literacy

Play is how children make sense of their world — and play therapy gives them the tools and support to reshape that world when it feels too big, too scary, or too overwhelming.

Book Online
Therapist and child using sensory tools during a play therapy session at Creative Sky Psychology in Calgary.

How Play Therapy Helps

Your child might benefit from play therapy if they are:

We also see incredible results in children who are:

Play gives children a safe stage to rehearse the hard parts of life — with the steady presence of a trained, compassionate therapist alongside them.

Our Approach at Creative Sky

Our Calgary psychologists specialize in play therapy for children of all ages. Every session is guided by clinical insight and customized to your child’s developmental needs, personality, and story.

Depending on your child’s needs, sessions may include:

  • Child-centered play therapy to build safety and trust

  • Art and sensory-based play to explore feelings and regulation

  • Cognitive-behavioral play strategies to link thoughts, actions, and outcomes

  • Fantasy or role play to externalize and gain mastery over struggles

  • Parent-child play sessions to strengthen connection and communication

We meet your child where they are — and gently help them take steps forward.

Calgary psychologist using sand tray play therapy to help children express emotions at Creative Sky Psychology.

Play Therapy by Age

Preschoolers (Ages 3–5)


Young children often can’t verbalize why they’re struggling. We use sensory-rich, imaginative play to help them explore emotions, build self-regulation, and strengthen attachment — always involving parents in the process.

School-Age Children (6–12)


At this stage, kids can move between play and insight. We combine narrative-based play, art, and age-matched coping strategies to support anxiety, grief, anger, and social challenges — while building emotional language and self-confidence.

Teens Who Benefit from Playful Approaches


While we don’t use classic play therapy with teens, many older children still benefit from creative tools like:

  • Sand tray therapy

  • Comic strip storytelling

  • Role play for anxiety or social skills

  • Symbolic expression and metaphor-based tools

For neurodivergent or emotionally younger teens, we may use playful strategies to meet them where they’re most comfortable.

Parent Collaboration & Support

Calgary psychologist supporting a parent during a play therapy session focused on emotional growth and healing.

We include parents as essential partners in every child’s therapy journey. You’ll receive:

  • Feedback and insights from sessions (not word-for-word play — but themes and observations)

  • Co-regulation tools to use at home

  • Parenting strategies that align with your child’s therapy

  • Guidance on how to respond to emotional behavior without escalating

We help parents understand the why behind the behaviour and support with next steps

Book Play Therapy in Calgary

Child engaging in imaginative sand play during a therapy session at Creative Sky Psychology in Calgary.

Creative Sky Psychology has specialized Play Therapy psychologists ready to work with your child. Our clinic in Killarney is sensory-friendly, has dedicated child play therapy rooms, and offers free parking for families.

Book a Play Therapy session online or contact the office to get matched with the right psychologist for your child.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Creative Sky Psychology uses the principles of play therapy with children who benefit from this approach. We use play therapy techniques to work on goals related to problem solving, skill building, and emotion regulation. We have a dedicated play therapy room for children who are a good fit for play therapy. Often children who are younger will benefit from a play therapy approach. While engaged in play, a child will be learning the skills that will support their overall wellness and development.

     

    Creative Sky Psychology runs workshops in Play Therapy for educators and health care professionals in using play techniques with children to manage challenges related to ADHD, Anxiety, ASD, Emotion Regulation Challenges, and Social Development. For additional information visit our page on Play Therapy Workshops. 

  • Play Therapy is an outlet for children to express their inner world.  Kids associate play with fun, and research shows that children learn 20x faster through play. Play Therapy can be used to teach children social skills, emotion regulation strategies, and increase problem solving abilities to cope with life’s challenges.  Play therapy also has benefits of increasing self-esteem and learning relationship skills in a safe and healthy environment. Emotional expression often radiates from children while playing. 

     A child will certainly benefit from seeing a Psychologist when they have struggles at home, school, or in the community. A Psychologist will ask about the impact an issue is having on your child’s functioning and well-being. It is best to seek help sooner than later. Often difficulties can become internalized, causing additional issues. This is often the case with social, emotional, or academic issues. When left untreated, children can develop anxiety or depression, and may experience long term difficulties.  

  • Directive Play Therapy is a play therapy technique used in which a Child Psychologist is actively involved in encouraging a child to express their emotions, thoughts, and feelings associated with areas of challenge. This technique is often used as a teaching tool.  Children may be taught flexibility, social skills, and problem solving through this method of Play Therapy. Children using this style of Play therapy can be supported to understand how their thoughts impact their feelings. During play therapy we are able to discuss how thoughts work and how to make them work for us - and feel good!  Creative Sky Psychology supports children using a Directive Play technique to work on goals and skill building. Creative Sky Psychology uses play as a backdrop for building therapeutic alliance as well as working on goals in a way that makes sense for children. 

    Non-directive Play Therapy is a play therapy technique used where a child directs the play, while the therapist takes an observational role. This can be a helpful tool if a child has experienced trauma or can only engage in parallel play. This will help the therapist determine how a child is feeling and thinking without being intrusive. Non-directive Play Therapy can help a Child Psychologist in the initial session to help a child feel more comfortable. 

    At Creative Sky Psychology, we most often use a blended approach of Play Therapy and CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) to engage a child in play while learning about thoughts and feelings in a developmentally appropriate manner. Children are often very excited to learn and share their new skills with parents! 

  • At Creative Sky Psychology, we find that Play Therapy is most beneficial for young children. Play is a universal language that all children understand. Play therapy also provides a communication outlet for kids that have difficulties with verbal expression. Generally, children become more self-conscious as they approach the pre-teen years, at which age free expression though play starts to disappear. This is when children may respond better to art, games, or using strengths and interests in therapy. With older kids play therapy can be helpful to treat symptoms related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Selective Mutism, and other anxiety or regulation related problems.  

  • No — while it looks like play, every choice in the therapy room (toys, pacing, themes) is guided by developmental psychology and therapeutic goals. Play is the child’s language, and we’re trained to listen and respond.

  • It depends on your child’s needs. Some kids show progress in 8–12 sessions, while others benefit from longer-term support. We tailor the journey to your child and your goals.

  • Sometimes — especially for young children or when attachment work is part of the plan. We’ll discuss the best structure to support both your child’s comfort and therapeutic effectiveness.

  • That’s okay. We don’t rely on talking. Through play, children communicate emotions, needs, and even trauma — without needing to verbalize them directly.

  • Absolutely. In fact, many children with ADHD, autism, or sensory processing challenges respond better to play-based approaches than to traditional therapy models.

Our team of Child Psychologists are located in Calgary, Alberta. We support children and provide therapy for children with a variety of challenges including; ASD, Anxiety, OCD, and Depression. We use play as a therapeutic tool to support emotion regulation, cognitive flexibility, strength, and resiliency. We provide assessments for individuals of all ages at Creative Sky Psychology. Our Assessment Psychologists provide psychoeducational, cognitive and ASD assessments. Our Psychologists support individuals from a strength-based model and provide unique coping strategies. Please call for an initial consultation or book online.