Play therapy for children and the importance of play in early childhood: An Indian context

Play is a core component of early childhood development and functions as a natural medium through which children explore their surroundings, communicate emotions, and acquire cognitive, social, and motor abilities. For children with limited verbal skills, play acts as a symbolic language that supports emotional expression and psychological well-being. Play therapy is a structured, evidence-based psychotherapeutic intervention that employs play activities to address emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial challenges in children.This narrative review describes the concept, principles, types, techniques, and indications of play therapy, with particular emphasis on its relevance to pediatric nursing practice. The role of nurses in therapeutic play, procedural preparation, anxiety reduction, and emotional support is highlighted. The importance of play in early childhood learning is discussed from developmental and sociocultural perspectives. Specific challenges in the Indian context—such as toy safety, cultural relevance, digital overuse, socio-economic disparities, and infection control—are examined. The review underscores the need for culturally sensitive, safe, and developmentally appropriate play materials, and advocates strengthening the role of nurses, caregivers, and policymakers to integrate play and play therapy into child health services in India.