How play can help your children

The act of playing allows children to express themselves in their own ways, to explore the world around them with creativity and a sense of fun, and to pursue what they would like to do in the moment, for their own reasons. But play itself is a serious business.

Through play, children can imagine different realities; move away from the immediate worries they might have, engage with big life questions, and dream of the future and all that they could be.

Play offers a safe space to make mistakes, to learn through trial and error, to take measured risks and to build the skills that will empower children to manage risky situations in the future. By adapting as they go, children have a chance of building resilience to change. By choosing how they play, children have the opportunity to take control.

Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) has the largest hospital Play team in Europe and they’ve helped hundreds of thousands of seriously ill children face life’s toughest challenges through play. Explore our play themes below, where you'll find some fantastic activities that will help your child cope with all life’s challenges, big or small.