Making Schools Playful: How to Build Buy-In for Play Therapy in School Settings
If you are play therapist in a school, you've probably heard at least one of these questions:
“How is play going to help?”
“Aren’t you just rewarding bad behavior?”
“But you're going to talk to them about what happened in class today, right?”
If you haven't heard these comments, you may work in a magical unicorn school where everyone already understands the power of play therapy. If so, we’re a little jealous!
For the rest of us, welcome. You’re in good company.
Many school staff members—and even some social workers and therapists—may not fully understand play therapy. They often see play as the warm-up before the “real work.”
But you and I know the truth …
The play is the real work!
That can make school-based play therapy both beautiful and challenging. You’re supporting children in meaningful ways while also helping teachers, administrators, and caregivers understand what healing through play actually looks like.
At Bud to Bloom Play Therapy, we believe therapy works best when relationships come first. That includes relationships with children, families, and the school teams supporting them every day.
If you’re looking for more support around child-centered and trauma-informed care, explore our St. Louis play therapy trainings, or consultation and supervision services with Jasmine Berger, Bud to Bloom Founder & award-winning leader in the play therapy field.
Why Collaboration Matters in School-Based Therapy
When you’re embedded in a school, being part of the team matters. Teachers spend hours each day with students. They notice patterns, strengths, stressors, and small wins you may never see in the therapy room.
Collaboration helps therapy carry over from your office into the classroom. It also helps teachers feel supported instead of overwhelmed.
The truth is, educators are already juggling a lot. Sometimes therapists unintentionally add to that stress by offering ideas that don’t fit the classroom environment. Building trust means showing teachers you understand their reality, too.
At Bud to Bloom, we believe healing happens in community. That’s especially true in schools, where relationships shape so much of a child’s day.
How Can Play Therapists Build Trust with School Staff?
Here are a few strategies that helped me feel more connected to school teams while still honoring the child-centered work I was doing.
Show Up Outside the Therapy Office
If you have the capacity, attend school events.
That might mean conferences, ice cream socials, family nights, assemblies, or staff events—some even after hours. These moments help staff see you as part of the school community, not just the therapist down the hallway.
You don’t need to attend everything. School-based work can already stretch clinicians thin. But even occasional participation can strengthen your relationships in meaningful ways.
Those small moments build familiarity and trust. They also remind staff that you care deeply about the same children they do.
Why Pushing into Classrooms can Help Play Therapy Succeed
Taking play therapy into the classroom can be incredibly valuable. This can give you a chance to:
Model interventions in real time
Support teachers during difficult moments
Observe how students function in the classroom
Adjust strategies so they actually fit the classroom environment
Teachers are far more likely to use interventions when they’ve seen them work firsthand.
Actually seeing a child’s behavior in the classroom can also help you better understand their world. School-based clinicians get a unique window into children’s lives. You see them learning, playing, struggling, connecting, and navigating peer relationships throughout the day.
That fuller picture can strengthen your clinical work in powerful ways.
If you enjoy learning practical interventions for children and families, you may also like our blogs on:
Helping Children Transition Back to Class After Therapy
Let’s be honest. Transitioning from therapy back into math class can feel hard.
Many children leave a play therapy session emotionally activated or dysregulated. They may need support shifting back into a structured learning environment. Honestly, most adults also struggle after a deep therapy session. It’s normal!
Instead of sending children straight back to class without support, consider how you can help with the transition. That might look like;
Walking them back to class
Using grounding activities
Offering movement before returning
Creating a predictable transition routine
Collaborating with the teacher on regulation supports
These small steps can make a huge difference for both the child and the classroom teacher.
The Challenges of Bringing Play Therapy into Schools
School-based play therapy comes with incredible opportunities. It also comes with unique challenges, different from those in agencies or private practice.
You may struggle with:
Getting buy-in from administrators
Finding confidential or functional office space
Managing parent engagement
Explaining the value of play-based interventions
Balancing clinical work with school expectations
Trust us—we’ve been there! And the best news is that your relationship, presence, and attunement are the most important tools in your work.
Join our “Making Schools Playful” Training
In our upcoming workshop, Making Schools Playful, I (Jasmine Berger) and Molly Rush will dive deeper into the realities of school-based play therapy.
We’ll talk honestly about the challenges clinicians face when bringing the power of play into schools. More importantly, we’ll help you feel equipped to navigate them with confidence and creativity.
Together, we’ll explore:
How to build buy-in with teachers and administrators
Practical classroom collaboration strategies
Ways to make difficult spaces functional
How to create a mobile play therapy kit (You might also be interested in our blog on how to create a play therapy room)
Real-world tips from clinicians who have actually done this work
We both bring different experiences from school settings, which allows us to offer a broad and practical approach. This training is designed to help clinicians feel supported, capable, and connected.
You became a child therapist to make a difference. We’re here to help you do that work better.
Learn more about our APT-approved play therapy trainings, and meet your play therapy trainers here.
About the Author
This blog was written by Jasmine Berger, the founder of Bud to Bloom Play Therapy. Jasmine Berger is a Registered Play Therapist & Supervisor, offering trainings, consultations, and other support for play therapists and helping professionals in the Midwest.
