Peeking Through the Play: Hide-and-Go-Seek and Peek-a-Boo in Play Therapy

Child’s play is serious business and Peek-a-Boo and Hide-and-Go-Seek are no exceptions. But these games, like so many, act as a platform for the emotions a child is processing at any given time. At their heart, they may be most about wanting to be seen and wanting to be found.

1:24 Lisa introduces LFPR series

2:24 Call for listener ideas

4:00 The child hiding versus the toys hiding

4:24 Peek-a-boo through a developmental lens

4:59 How does it feel to play Peek-a-boo? Try it!

5;56 The overlap between Peek-a-boo and Hide-and-go-seek

6:30 Wanting to be seen

7:33 How do these games reflect a child’s self-worth?

8:24 Why is context important?

9:10 The meaning behind toys and play is fluid

9:33 How do neglect and abandonment look?

10:24 The Set-Up

11:50 The variety of ways Hide-and-go-seek can look

12:24 Remember, the desire to be seen

13:00 How does emotional age weigh in?

14:24 What’s YOUR version of wanting to be seen?

15:22 What does it look like when the toys play Peek-a-boo?

17:00 Extending metaphors into all types play