Recreational Therapy

Recreational therapy uses play, recreation, and leisure activities to improve the physical, cognitive, social and emotional abilities of children and adolescents. Recreational therapists (RTs) develop care plans in an environment that is conducive with play to promote developmentally appropriate play and recreation. This helps foster a sense of normalcy, understanding and control in the child.

A Child’s Work is Play

Recreational therapists focus on the patient’s leisure time by providing a wide range of play and recreation opportunities during treatment sessions to facilitate increased independent functioning. By identifying their specific leisure and play skills, recreational therapists use their treatment plan and techniques to identify, improve and/or enhance the functional abilities and independence of children. Recreational therapy also establishes new leisure interests for continued growth and increased activity.

Therapeutic recreation may include building confidence, promoting greater self-reliance, enhancing quality of life, easing fear, learning by doing and utilizing leisure time. Interventions that may be used include adaptive leisure skills, animal assisted therapy, developmental play skills, coping/self expression to disability, community reintegration and community resources.

Community re-integration is an important part of a child’s growth. Recreation Therapists may provide leisure education and recommend programs or opportunities that are available for a child in the community.

A Collaborative Approach

Recreational therapists provide care for patients who are inpatients (hospitalized) in acute rehabilitation and general pediatrics and to children who have had a traumatic injury.