Using Doll House
Most elementary school counselor's offices will have a doll house. In the lower grades K-2 students use the doll house frequently mostly setting up the rooms and placing the people in various locations. The doll house is also one of the main choices for the 2nd grade Play Group. As with other play media it is important to paraphrase what you are observing as the child plays in the house.
It is easier for students to show rather than to say what is occurring in their lives. The doll house is an excellent way for them to express themselves.
There are many doll houses on the market. Often you can find them at yard sales. I would suggest, however, to purchase one that is sturdy.
THE PERFECT DOLL HOUSE
An excerpt of Dr. Courtney’s publication in the
Play Therapy magazine, June 2008, Vol. 3, Issue 2
By Janet Courtney, Ph.D., RPT-S
Over the years play therapists have advocated for a dollhouse to be included in the play therapy room (Axline, 1947/1969; Gil, 1991; Landreth & Sweeney, 1997; Mook, 2003; Moustakas, 1953; O’Connor, 1991). However, beyond the generic word “dollhouse” included in a list of other essential play items, few offer guidelines as to exactly what type of dollhouse might work best. Landreth and Sweeney (1997) vaguely advise that a dollhouse should be an “open top type on floor”. Some authors (Landreth, 1991; Webb, 1996) do not mention the need for a dollhouse per se, but do emphasize having dolls (*flexible/bendable) with at least dollhouse furniture. That way the dollhouse furniture can therapeutically evolve to create a home environment from scratch using other play materials in the playroom such as blocks, legos, or the sandtray. Nonetheless, if there is room in your office, and funding available, and you are not a travel-toting play therapist, then a dollhouse can be a useful therapeutic tool in the playroom.
Play therapist, Eliana Gil (1991) advises that a dollhouse should be included in the playroom as part of a “necessary minimum” (p. 64). Although, the dollhouse can stand as one of the common pillars of recommended play items to include in the playroom, the literature is scarce on the particular therapeutic value of the dollhouse. Common wisdom guides the experienced play therapist to understand that the dollhouse can often represent certain familial or social interactions.
Therapeutically the dollhouse can be used as an assessment tool either by “free play” assessment, or through more directive means by asking a child to show you their “typical daily schedule beginning with getting up in the morning.” It also has been shown to help to decrease anxiety (Barnett, 1984), and to help children play out their fantasies (Gil, 1991).
Almost all the children who come to my office have take notice of the wooden dollhouse that my husband built. It has been an interesting case study in toy selection, as I have never had so many children naturally gravitate to a dollhouse and want to play. Some children are initially slower to choose the dollhouse for play since it can lead to direct engagement of family issues. The story play has been very revealing and profound. A few play scenarios have included a hurricane going through the house, a family member has been sick and died in it, and some children have escaped through the hatch in the roof while running away. So you might ask: “Janet, do you really have the ‘perfect’ dollhouse?” Well, no, of course not. But this house has certainly created a sacred space for children to do their work. Happy dollhouse hunting….
Here is an excellent resource for creative, dyi ideas for Doll Houses.
http://www.kimscounselingcorner.com/2012/08/20/unique-inexpensive-or-diy-ideas-for-a-play-therapy-or-childs-room/
It is easier for students to show rather than to say what is occurring in their lives. The doll house is an excellent way for them to express themselves.
There are many doll houses on the market. Often you can find them at yard sales. I would suggest, however, to purchase one that is sturdy.
THE PERFECT DOLL HOUSE
An excerpt of Dr. Courtney’s publication in the
Play Therapy magazine, June 2008, Vol. 3, Issue 2
By Janet Courtney, Ph.D., RPT-S
Over the years play therapists have advocated for a dollhouse to be included in the play therapy room (Axline, 1947/1969; Gil, 1991; Landreth & Sweeney, 1997; Mook, 2003; Moustakas, 1953; O’Connor, 1991). However, beyond the generic word “dollhouse” included in a list of other essential play items, few offer guidelines as to exactly what type of dollhouse might work best. Landreth and Sweeney (1997) vaguely advise that a dollhouse should be an “open top type on floor”. Some authors (Landreth, 1991; Webb, 1996) do not mention the need for a dollhouse per se, but do emphasize having dolls (*flexible/bendable) with at least dollhouse furniture. That way the dollhouse furniture can therapeutically evolve to create a home environment from scratch using other play materials in the playroom such as blocks, legos, or the sandtray. Nonetheless, if there is room in your office, and funding available, and you are not a travel-toting play therapist, then a dollhouse can be a useful therapeutic tool in the playroom.
Play therapist, Eliana Gil (1991) advises that a dollhouse should be included in the playroom as part of a “necessary minimum” (p. 64). Although, the dollhouse can stand as one of the common pillars of recommended play items to include in the playroom, the literature is scarce on the particular therapeutic value of the dollhouse. Common wisdom guides the experienced play therapist to understand that the dollhouse can often represent certain familial or social interactions.
Therapeutically the dollhouse can be used as an assessment tool either by “free play” assessment, or through more directive means by asking a child to show you their “typical daily schedule beginning with getting up in the morning.” It also has been shown to help to decrease anxiety (Barnett, 1984), and to help children play out their fantasies (Gil, 1991).
Almost all the children who come to my office have take notice of the wooden dollhouse that my husband built. It has been an interesting case study in toy selection, as I have never had so many children naturally gravitate to a dollhouse and want to play. Some children are initially slower to choose the dollhouse for play since it can lead to direct engagement of family issues. The story play has been very revealing and profound. A few play scenarios have included a hurricane going through the house, a family member has been sick and died in it, and some children have escaped through the hatch in the roof while running away. So you might ask: “Janet, do you really have the ‘perfect’ dollhouse?” Well, no, of course not. But this house has certainly created a sacred space for children to do their work. Happy dollhouse hunting….
Here is an excellent resource for creative, dyi ideas for Doll Houses.
http://www.kimscounselingcorner.com/2012/08/20/unique-inexpensive-or-diy-ideas-for-a-play-therapy-or-childs-room/
From My Counseling Room
Glen was in the 5th grade. One day he asked his teacher if he could come see me. I had only worked with Glen in the 2nd Grade Boys' Group so I was surprised to hear that he wanted to come see me. When Glen came to my room he went straight to the doll house and pulled everything out and reset it up. Then, acted out a big explosions tossing all items from one room out into my office. He smiled and asked if he could come back and then left.
The next day Glen showed up at my door before school. He asked to come in and went right to the doll house. Again, he took everything out, reset it up, and had another explosion out of another room. At this point I knew that he was trying to express some conflict that might have been occurring in his home. It is hard not to begin questioning but in this case I felt it was important to wait until Glen was ready to share.
Although in my school district I did not need permission to see a student I frequently contact the parent. So I shared with Glen that I would be letting his mom know that he was requesting to come see me. He said okay and left.
When I checked with mom I asked if there were any insights that she might share with me regarding Glen at home. She said that he had been very uncooperative lately, especially in the morning. She also informed me that she and her husband were discussing getting a divorce but had not shared any of this information so far with Glen.
The next few visits went on the same way only Glen began talking about the "explosions". He shared that he had overheard his parents fighting a few days ago (when he first asked to see me). He said his mom was yelling at him a lot to get ready for school and that he was really scared about what would happen to him now.
The doll house was a means for Glen to expression himself and to begin the process of working through his feelings. Even though I suspected the explosions were representing something going on at home, it was important to let Glen find his own timing to share it with me.
The next day Glen showed up at my door before school. He asked to come in and went right to the doll house. Again, he took everything out, reset it up, and had another explosion out of another room. At this point I knew that he was trying to express some conflict that might have been occurring in his home. It is hard not to begin questioning but in this case I felt it was important to wait until Glen was ready to share.
Although in my school district I did not need permission to see a student I frequently contact the parent. So I shared with Glen that I would be letting his mom know that he was requesting to come see me. He said okay and left.
When I checked with mom I asked if there were any insights that she might share with me regarding Glen at home. She said that he had been very uncooperative lately, especially in the morning. She also informed me that she and her husband were discussing getting a divorce but had not shared any of this information so far with Glen.
The next few visits went on the same way only Glen began talking about the "explosions". He shared that he had overheard his parents fighting a few days ago (when he first asked to see me). He said his mom was yelling at him a lot to get ready for school and that he was really scared about what would happen to him now.
The doll house was a means for Glen to expression himself and to begin the process of working through his feelings. Even though I suspected the explosions were representing something going on at home, it was important to let Glen find his own timing to share it with me.