By Ange Bertram (Registered Play Therapist & Early Years Practitioner)
As parents, we throw out moments of parenting wisdom, ‘one liners’ informed by our own constructs and upbringing — “put a jumper on or you’ll get sick”, “no means no”. While most frequently referring to comparison with childhood in the 80s, given my line of work, my ‘one liners’ are often also informed by theory of play or neuroscience. Recently, I claimed, “the empty box that technology comes in is better for your brain than the technology it once held”. The car went silent… a somewhat perplexed silence. Even I thought, hmmm, I wonder if research would actually verify that. And it has had me wondering since. I’ve concluded… it could.
Screen addiction is the most common parenting challenge I hear about as a play therapist. But my conclusion isn’t based on the negative impact of technology on young developing minds; it is informed by the benefits of play on social-emotional well-being. Play nurtures curiosity, builds the capacity to problem solve, and assists children in making sense of their world around them. An empty box creates space for wondering, stillness, and discovery of flow. If we reflect on the principles of positive psychology, these are all important ingredients in what constitutes happiness — time to explore, be present, and experience a sense of engagement that makes time stand still.
A box can be anything! The intrinsic motivation to play, combined with the open-ended scope of box play, allows for motivating exploration of strengths and interests. As someone who facilitates moments of play to support development, I can confirm it also calls on fine motor and regulation skills, resilience to persist, communication, creativity, and paves the way for pretend play. Engaging in pretend play with the box immerses the child in the physicality of their play. It strengthens their ability to connect their thinking to their emotions and their imagination to their hands, fostering a sense of mastery.
A child communicating their creative intention to the people in their life builds communication skills and a sense of connection. A screen cannot support the development of positive self-concepts like we as parents and play can. Next time you see an empty box, think of it as a box of possibilities for your child. Watch them discover the wonder and joy within it! And, if you find this to be true, you are very welcome to add my latest ‘one liner’ to your parenting wisdom repertoire… I hope the silent response leaves you feeling empowered.