Play Therapy Game Idea to Use in Play Therapy: Yeah! Yuck!

(Play Therapy Student)

Yeah!/Yuck! Play Therapy Game
Materials Needed:
The Yeah!/Yuck! Gameboard , one die, 1 -4 game pieces (2-4 players). Age of players (5 – Adult)

Most children enjoy playing games. Play Therapy Games are a natural way to have fun with children. Games are a part of children’s culture (Candyland, cardgames, hide-and-seek). Counselors can observe and acquire valuable information by playing games with children without the children feeling like they are under a microscope. The comfort or discomfort with which children play games may assist counselors in assessing a child’s emotional and mental health.
I developed the Yeah!/Yuck! play therapy game to gauge the emotions of young clients. This play therapy game is designed to assist the play therapy counselor in getting to know the client in a fun and non-threatening manner. The game has photos of objects , names of people and items. The players roll the die to determine who starts first. The player who rolls the highest number, begins at the “start” space, rolls the die and makes the appropriate moves. The player chooses which direction to move their game piece. When a player lands on a space they say, “yeah” or “yuck,” depending on whether they like or dislike where they landed. The player also expresses why they responded in that manner. As the client chooses their route, it may indicate the client’s areas of comfort and discomfort. The dichotomous nature of the game provides opportunities for the counselor to observe his client’s pleasure and/or discomfort.
Yeah!/Yuck! Play Therapy was developed for elementary age children. It can be revised for youth and/or adult players. The game could also be utilized by a small group, once intimacy was established.

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