If we’ve spent some time together in the past, then you likely know that at one point in my career, I worked in early childhood and later on in early intervention which focuses on children 0 to 3 years old.  At the time I was pursuing my degree in mental health counseling, which led me to exploring the field of infant mental health (0-3 years).  Although I no longer work in early childhood or early intervention, to this day I am very passionate about Infant Mental Health, which is relevant to both fields.

 

There are early indicators for a child’s mental health and wellbeing that we can and should pay attention to and are often categorized under Social Emotional Development. Social Emotional Development looks at a young child's play skills, social behaviors, relationships, flexibility & tolerance, expression of emotions and communication skills. If we were to fast forward, many of the symptoms or concerns in these areas may later be encompassed within mental health domains. This lifespan realization has long been a passion, which led me to FirstPlay®. 

 

FirstPlay® falls under the umbrella of Play Therapy. It is a storytelling and gentle touch curriculum for children 0-3 years old and their families. Bonding and attachment with caregivers, social emotional development, early forms of communication and play are often collectively referred to as Infant Mental Health. At the heart of this approach, Infant Mental Health focuses on the relationship between a parent (or caregiver) and their baby or young child. 

 

Infant Mental Health isn’t about treating the baby in isolation—it’s about nurturing the bond between parent and child and supporting the emotional well-being of both. Rather than working with the child alone, this approach supports both the parent and child together—nurturing connection, emotional development, and secure attachment from the very beginning. Infant Mental Health recognizes that a caregiver’s own experiences, including unresolved stress or generational trauma, can influence the way they connect with their child. By creating a safe, supportive space for both caregiver and baby, we can begin to break old patterns, promote secure attachment, and lay the groundwork for healthier emotional development for the infant and future generations.

 

FirstPlay® or, Infant Play Therapy focuses on Infant Mental Health and pre-symbolic play.  Pre-symbolic play is play that takes place before the use of toys and tangible items. Much of pre-symbolic play includes playful caregiver–child interactions which open the door to mentalism. Mentalism is an invitation to participate in reflection that helps a child understand who they are as an individual.

​

Additionally, there are components of the FirstPlay® curriculum that are centered around teaching consent and modeling gentle touch. So this is the point where I usually have at least one person in the audience, expressing puzzlement!  Yes, teaching babies consent is one of my absolute favorite things about FirstPlay®.  By teaching consent from an early age, the concept becomes familiar and asking for consent becomes a natural expectation. This helps a young child develop a strong sense of their own value and learn how to set healthy boundaries in relationships throughout their life. When caregivers model gentle touch combined with asking for consent, they are guiding children in understanding how to touch others respectfully and recognizing what composes safe, respectful touch.

​