The multicultural play therapy room

Given the increased cultural diversity among the child population in the United States, play therapists should ensure that they provide an inclusive therapeutic environment that invites cultural exploration and expression for all children. In child-centered play therapy (CCPT), toys are children’s medium of expression. Three types of materials commonly included in the play therapy room are real-life toys, acting-out aggressive-release toys, and creative expression toys (Landreth, 2012). CCPT researchers have suggested that play therapists could incorporate cultural inclusivity in play therapy by providing culturally appropriate toys for specific client populations (Chang et al., 2005; Garza & Bratton, 2005; Ogawa, 2007; Taylor & Ray, 2021). However, only a limited amount of research has explored what toys and materials should be included in a play therapy room to meet the needs of children from a culturally diverse society. To provide some direction to play therapists who are developing culturally inclusive play therapy rooms, Regine K. Chung, Dee C. Ray, Elizabeth V. Aguilar, and Krystal K. Turner conducted a Delphi studyopens in new window to obtain consensus among a group of expert panelists regarding essential items that encourage multicultural inclusion. In addition, the researchers asked the panelists for their recommendations on how they decide what toys are culturally diverse and inclusive.

In an article published in The International Journal of Play Therapy,opens in new window researchers led by Regine K. Chung involved 22 expert panelists who were selected for their varying intersectional identities and multicultural expertise, in addition to their play therapy expertise. The panelists evaluated Landreth’s (2012) list of 69 playroom toys and materials and shared comments about the items on the list to determine whether the various items were essential in a multicultural playroom. Through three rounds of the survey, the panelists established consensus that 48 of the 69 items on the list are multiculturally inclusive, such as bendable doll families, cooking and food items, dart guns, medical kits, and animals. These results suggest that most toys and materials traditionally used in CCPT are considered multiculturally inclusive. Gumby was the only item deemed not inclusive, given the toy’s cultural and generational limitations. This result also highlights the consideration of relevance in therapeutic toy selection.

Overall, the panelists emphasized the need to provide specific descriptors in the toy categories to ensure that play therapists are selecting materials that represent diverse cultures, communities, identities, and experiences. The panelists suggested that therapists who wished to promote diverse representation should consider toys’ color, texture, size, and characteristics when selecting them. The panelists also indicated that therapists should intentionally consider the functionality, symbolism, and relational implications of toys and materials. For example, although the functionality of a drum appears cross-cultural, the look and presentation of the drum significantly affect how it is perceived (e.g., a marching drum vs. a drum made with natural materials). Most of the 20 items that the panelists did not reach consensus on did not elicit a definitive call for exclusion (e.g., puppet theater, cymbals, and xylophone). However, discussions among the panelists highlighted the cultural limitations of these items, and the panelists urged play therapists to reflect on the necessity of including these items in their play therapy rooms.

The findings of this study affirmed the importance of play therapists’ reflective decision-making over a definitive list of toys and materials for their play therapy rooms. Essentially, play therapists need to consider whether a particular toy or material helps children feel a sense of belonging and explore their cultural identity. Although Chung et al.’s study examined Landreth’s (2012) toys and materials list in depth, research on additional items is needed to further the development of inclusive multicultural play therapy rooms with specific awareness of the needs of children identifying with varying cultural groups.

This article is in the Social Psychology topic area.

Chang, C. Y., Ritter, K. B., & Hays D. G. (2005). Multicultural trends and toys in play therapy. International Journal of Play Therapy, 14(2), 69–85. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0088903opens in new window

Garza, Y., & Bratton, S. C. (2005). School-based child-centered play therapy with Hispanic children: Outcomes and cultural considerations. International Journal of Play Therapy, 14(1), 51–80. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0088896opens in new window

Landreth, G. L. (2012). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Ogawa, Y. (2007). Effectiveness of child-centered play therapy with Japanese children in the United States. [Doctoral dissertation, University of North Texas]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Taylor, L., & Ray, D. C. (2021). Child-centered play therapy and social–emotional competencies of African American children: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Play Therapy, 30(2), 74–85. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000152opens in new window

Regine K. Chung, PhD, LPC Associate, CAS is an assistant professor of clinical mental health counseling at Niagara University. Her current research focuses on play therapy, neurodivergent populations, and immigrant populations. As a clinician and researcher, Chung is dedicated to enhancing treatment effectiveness and accessibility by implementing culturally inclusive and developmentally sensitive strategies.

Dee C. Ray, PhD, LPC-S, NCC, RPT-S, is regents professor, Elaine Millikan Mathes Professor in Early Childhood Education, and codirector of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas. She is past Association for Play Therapy board chair and has published over 150 articles, chapters, and books in the field of play therapy.

Elizabeth V. Aguilar, MS, LPC Associate, NCC, is a doctoral candidate and assistant director of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas. Fluent in both Spanish and English, she serves as a bilingual clinician and supervisor. She is deeply committed to advancing culturally inclusive services and demonstrates her passion through her contributions to supervision, teaching, research, and clinical practice.

Krystal K. Turner, MA, LPC-A, NCC, is a PhD candidate at the University of North Texas (UNT), where she serves as the school outreach coordinator assistant director at the Center for Play Therapy, the past president of UNT’s Counselors for Social Justice, and the doctoral advisor for UNT’s Coalition of Black Counselors group. She was awarded the Chi Sigma Iota local chapter and international award of outstanding master’s student during her master’s program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Finally, she recently completed her fellowship year as a National Board of Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program fellow for the 2021–22 cohort.