Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

How to Use Play to Calm Big Emotions and Build Resilience with Georgie Wisen-Vincent

Hi everyone! I’m thrilled to share my parenting insights with you. If you found value in this episode, kindly leave an iTunes review. Stay updated on parenting tips by following me.

Mini Synopsis:

Play is not a luxury. It’s not extra. And it’s not just about keeping kids busy. In this powerful and practical conversation, Dr. Robyn sits down with Georgie Wisen-Vincent, LMFT, RPT-S, to explore how simple, everyday moments of play can help children regulate their emotions, reduce anxiety, and build resilience. Georgie explains how play calms the nervous system, strengthens connection, and gives children a safe space to process big feelings. Together, they unpack how parents can become confident partners in their child’s emotional development—using small, intentional moments of playful presence that shift overwhelm into confidence and calm.

INTRODUCTION:

Today we’re talking about something at the heart of childhood—play. Not the structured, scheduled kind, but the playful, connective moments that help kids feel grounded, confident, and calm. In a world where children are often overwhelmed by stress, big emotions, and constant stimulation, play becomes more than fun—it becomes therapeutic. Play helps the brain settle, helps kids make sense of their thoughts and feelings, and helps them develop the emotional tools they need to thrive.

In this episode, we’re exploring how parents can use simple, everyday moments of play to strengthen connection, reduce anxiety, and support healthy emotional development. And we’ll learn how even a few minutes of mindful, playful presence can shift a child from overwhelm to resilience.

Bio:

Georgie Wisen-Vincent, LMFT, RPT-S, is a licensed child and adolescent psychotherapist specializing in child-centered play and creative arts therapies. With deep expertise in helping children build confidence, emotional awareness, and problem-solving skills, she has taught and supervised clinicians through the Loma Linda University Play Therapy Certificate Program and maintains a thriving private practice. Georgie empowers parents as essential partners in the therapeutic process and is co-author, with Tina Payne Bryson, of The Way of Play, a science-backed guide helping families use small, playful moments to raise calmer, more confident, and deeply connected kids.

Important Messages:

  • Play Is the Language of Childhood: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “Play is really the language of childhood. It’s how kids communicate what’s going on inside of them when they don’t yet have the words. When a child is playing, they’re showing us their worries, their fears, their wishes, and their strengths. If we slow down enough to notice, play becomes this window into their inner world. It’s not random. It’s meaningful.”
  • Play Helps the Brain Settle: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “When children are overwhelmed or dysregulated, their nervous systems are activated. Play actually helps settle that activation. It helps move them from a stress response into a state of safety and connection. And when the brain feels safe, that’s when learning, problem solving, and emotional growth can happen. So play isn’t just fun—it’s regulatory.”
  • Parents Don’t Have to Be Perfect—Just Present: Dr. Robyn Silverman – “I think parents sometimes hear this and feel like, ‘Oh no, now I have to add one more thing to my already full plate.’ But what I love about what you’re saying is that this isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about being with your child in a mindful, playful way—even for just a few minutes. That can make such a powerful difference.”
  • Small Moments Matter More Than Big Plans: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “It’s not about creating elaborate play scenarios or setting aside hours of the day. It’s about those small, connective moments. Five minutes of really attuned, child-led play can be more powerful than an entire afternoon where we’re distracted. Kids don’t need extravagance. They need engagement.”
  • Play Builds Emotional Confidence: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “When children are able to play out themes of mastery, bravery, or problem solving, they’re rehearsing resilience. They’re trying on new roles. They’re experimenting with solutions. And that builds confidence from the inside out. It helps them feel capable in real-life situations because they’ve practiced in play.”
  • Connection Reduces Anxiety: Dr. Robyn Silverman – “So often we focus on eliminating the anxious behavior. But what you’re highlighting is that connection itself reduces anxiety. When a child feels seen and understood in play, their body begins to calm. Their brain starts to organize. And from there, they’re much more able to handle the challenges in front of them.”
  • Play Is Therapeutic—Even at Home: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “In therapy, we use play intentionally to help children process difficult experiences. But parents can use these same principles at home. You don’t have to be a therapist. You just have to be curious, attuned, and willing to follow your child’s lead. Play becomes this safe container where big feelings can move through.”
  • Follow the Child’s Lead: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “One of the most powerful things a parent can do in play is follow the child’s lead. That means we’re not directing, correcting, or teaching in that moment—we’re observing and joining. When a child feels that we trust their ideas and their imagination, it builds autonomy and safety. They feel competent. And that felt sense of competence carries into other areas of life.”
  • You Don’t Have to Fix the Feeling: Dr. Robyn Silverman – “I think this is such an important shift for parents—because our instinct is to fix. If our child is sad or anxious or frustrated, we want to solve it. But what you’re describing is different. You’re saying we don’t have to fix the feeling—we can sit with it, reflect it, and allow it to move through play. That’s a big mindset change.”
  • Big Emotions Need Expression: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “Children don’t misbehave because they’re bad. They act out when emotions are too big to hold inside. Play gives those emotions somewhere to go. A child might roar like a dinosaur, crash blocks, or create dramatic storylines—that’s expression. When emotions are expressed safely, they don’t have to explode elsewhere.”
  • Regulation Happens Through Relationship: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “Regulation doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in relationship. A child’s nervous system calms in the presence of a regulated adult. When we join them in playful connection, we’re lending them our calm. Over time, they internalize that capacity and begin to regulate themselves more effectively.”
  • Even Teenagers Still Need Playful Connection: Dr. Robyn Silverman –“And this doesn’t stop when kids get older. Teens may not be building towers on the floor, but they still need playful connection. They still need moments of lightness and shared joy. That might look like joking in the car, shooting hoops together, or playing a game. Play evolves—but the need for connection never goes away.”
  • Play Strengthens the Parent-Child Bond: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “When we engage in child-led play, we’re sending a powerful message: ‘You matter. Your ideas matter. I delight in you.’ That sense of delight strengthens attachment. And when attachment is strong, children feel safer exploring the world. Connection becomes the foundation for courage.”
  • A Few Minutes Can Change the Trajectory of the Day: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “I’ve seen it over and over again—just a few minutes of intentional, attuned play can completely shift a child’s mood. A child who was spiraling into frustration can soften. A child who felt disconnected can reengage. It doesn’t require hours. It requires presence. And that presence can change the trajectory of the entire day.”
  • Play Creates a Safe Container for Hard Experiences:  Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “Play allows children to revisit experiences that may have felt scary or confusing in real life, but in a way where they are in control. They can change the ending. They can make themselves powerful. That sense of control is incredibly regulating. It transforms something overwhelming into something manageable.”
  • Curiosity Is More Powerful Than Correction: Dr. Robyn Silverman – “What I’m hearing you say is that instead of correcting right away, we can get curious. We can say, ‘Tell me about what’s happening here,’ or ‘I notice your dinosaur seems really mad.’ That curiosity opens the door. It invites our child to share rather than shut down. And that’s where growth happens.”
  • Delight Is a Regulating Force: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “When a child sees joy in their parent’s eyes—when they feel that sense of delight—it does something profound in their nervous system. It communicates safety. It communicates worth. That delight becomes organizing. It helps the brain settle and integrate.”
  • Play Teaches Problem-Solving Naturally: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “In play, children are constantly solving problems. How does the tower stay up? What happens if the superhero gets stuck? They’re experimenting. They’re adjusting. They’re trying again. And all of that builds flexible thinking in a way that feels natural and engaging—not forced.”
  • Presence Over Performance: Dr. Robyn Silverman – “This isn’t about performing for our kids or entertaining them. It’s about being with them. When we let go of the pressure to do it perfectly and instead focus on connection, that’s when it becomes sustainable. It’s the quality of the moment—not the production value—that matters.”
  • Play Is the Pathway to Resilience: Georgie Wisen-Vincent – “When children feel safe, connected, and understood through play, they develop resilience from the inside out. They learn that emotions are manageable. They learn that they’re capable. And they learn that they’re not alone. That combination—connection, competence, and emotional expression—is what helps children truly thrive.”

Notable Quotables:

  • “Play is really the language of childhood. It’s how children communicate what’s happening inside of them when they don’t yet have the words to explain it.” –Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “When we slow down enough to truly watch a child at play, we start to see their worries, their fears, their wishes, and even their strengths showing up right in front of us.” –Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “Play helps move a child’s nervous system from a state of stress and activation into a state of safety and connection. And when the brain feels safe, that’s when growth can actually happen.” –Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “I think parents sometimes feel like this is one more thing they have to do perfectly, but what we’re really talking about is presence. Even a few mindful minutes of playful connection can make a powerful difference.” – Dr. Robyn Silverman
  • “It’s not about creating elaborate activities or carving out hours of your day. Five minutes of truly attuned, child-led play can be incredibly powerful.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “So often we try to eliminate the anxious behavior, but connection itself reduces anxiety. When a child feels seen and understood, their body begins to calm.” – Dr. Robyn Silverman
  • “Children don’t act out because they’re bad. They act out because their emotions are too big to manage on their own, and play gives those emotions somewhere safe to go.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “Regulation happens in relationship. A child’s nervous system settles in the presence of a calm, connected adult.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “This doesn’t stop when children get older. Play changes form, but teenagers still need moments of shared joy and lightness with the adults in their lives.” – Dr. Robyn Silverman
  • “When a child feels genuine delight from their parent — that sparkle in your eyes that says, ‘I love being with you’ — it communicates safety and worth at the deepest level.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “When we follow a child’s lead in play instead of directing or correcting, we’re sending the message, ‘I trust you. Your ideas matter.’ And that builds a deep sense of competence.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “We don’t have to rush in and fix every hard feeling. Sometimes sitting with it, reflecting it, and allowing it to unfold through play is what actually helps it move through.” – Dr. Robyn Silverman
  • “Play gives children a way to revisit experiences that may have felt scary or overwhelming — but this time, they’re in control. They can change the ending. They can make themselves powerful.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “Curiosity opens doors that correction often closes. When we say, ‘Tell me about that,’ instead of ‘Stop that,’ we invite our child into connection.” – Dr. Robyn Silverman
  • “When a child roars like a dinosaur or crashes blocks dramatically, that’s not random behavior. That’s emotional expression. That’s the nervous system releasing what it’s been holding.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “Delight is incredibly regulating. When a child sees joy in your face — when they feel that you genuinely enjoy being with them — their whole system organizes around that safety.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “It’s not about entertaining our children. It’s about being with them. The quality of the connection matters far more than the complexity of the activity.” – Dr. Robyn Silverman
  • “In play, children are naturally practicing resilience. They’re solving problems, trying again, adjusting their strategies — all in a way that feels safe and empowering.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “Attachment grows in these small, consistent moments where a child feels seen, heard, and delighted in. That’s what gives them the courage to explore the world.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent
  • “When children experience connection, competence, and emotional expression through play, they develop resilience from the inside out. They learn they’re capable — and they learn they’re not alone.” – Georgie Wisen-Vincent

Resources:

Georgie Wisen-Vincent ↓

Dr. Robyn Silverman ↓

Turn Small Talks into Big Lessons- FAST.

Fun prompts, zero prep, real growth. From courage and kindness to mindset and resilience, each card sparks skills that matter. And the best part? Kids love them. Build character, strengthen connection, and make every moment count—one question at a time.

What Are These Cards?

KIDVERSATION CARDS These aren’t ordinary cards. Created by Child Development Specialist and “Conversation Doc” Dr. Robyn Silverman, Kidversation Cards make meaningful conversation simple. Each one taps into the 6 Cs—Confidence, Competence, Contribution, Caring, Character, and Connection—a proven framework for helping kids thrive. Fun for kids and easy for parents, they spark quick talks that build lasting skills and memories.

Related Posts: