Playful Parenting Workshop

Who is this workshop for?

Anybody who is a parent of a child especially between the ages of 3-12 who is interested in deepening their connection with their child(ren), so that it feels more satisfying
Parents who are interested in finding ways to help their children who may be struggling with big feelings and behaviours
Parents who may wish to understand more about how things can go downhill with their child eg conflicts and escalations and how to get back on track when it all seems very hard

What to expect?

An interactive, informative and fun day – experts in play based child therapy sharing their skills and knowledge with you
Explore ways to find delight in your child
Learn how to navigate the challenges and difficulties of parenting with grace and resilience

Regina Igoe

Regina is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist with a specialisation in Play Therapy. Regina is committed to fostering healing and growth through creativity, play and movement.

With a focus on individual and group therapy sessions, Regina works closely with parents and children to cultivate authentic, nurturing relationships, enhance self-esteem and promote flexible thinking.

Regina is passionate about facilitating workshops for childcare workers, teachers, parents, and adolescents.

In her spare time, Regina serves as an Athletic Development/Sprint Coach, working with both underage and adult teams to help individuals find joy in movement and enhance their performance, whether for personal enjoyment or competitive aspirations.

Regina provides play therapy and therapeutic support to children in NDNSP and she is a mother of 3 children and one dog!

Caroline Murphy

Caroline holds a master’s degree in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist specialising in play therapy. This qualification, combined with her background as a qualified teacher, has significantly informed and enhanced her current role within schools, where she provides individual support for students as part of the School Completion Programme.

Her practice is child-led, providing a safe space where children can explore their emotions through play at their own pace. She also works closely with parents, supporting them in understanding and responding to their child’s needs.

A mother of two, she understands the challenges and joys of parenting, deepening her empathy and connection with the families she works with. Outside of work, she enjoys running, yoga, and the sauna and cold plunge - despite regularly questioning why she willingly steps into freezing water.

Caroline is a fully accredited member of IAHIP and IAPTP.

--- Parent of girl aged 9, boy age 7

‘I can't recommend this playful parenting course enough! As an often tired Mam of two energetic young children, I can sometimes feel overwhelmed with the workload of my day and, in turn, dis-engage from that playful space they occupy. This course altered how I approach playtime and interactions with my kids. It offered practical understanding and advice that is manageable and, most importantly, for a mind like mine, helped me unhook from feelings of guilt, understand my own emotions and why I sometimes find it so hard.

This course was incredibly well-structured and offered a mix of insightful theory, practical tips, and real-life examples. The facilitators were warm, knowledgeable, and relatable, and they created a wonderfully friendly and safe environment. They taught us how to tap into our inner child and be with our kids in a way that feels natural, fun, and connected.

What stood out to me the most was how the course emphasised being more conscious in play. Instead of just going through the motions of games or activities, I learned how to be present with my children, tuning into their cues and creating an environment where they feel seen and heard. It wasn’t about perfecting the game or setting up really elaborate play scenarios—it was about connecting and letting the joy come naturally.

Since the course, playtime and more generally, time with my kids has been so much more joyful. I've noticed my children laughing more, talking to me more, feeling freer, and expressing themselves in new ways. I’m also able to set clearer boundaries with kindness, something that was a challenge before, while keeping the mood light and playful.

I feel more confident in play. and the best part is that my kids have noticed the change. We are more in tune with one another, and just enjoying the moments we share, whether we’re playing games or simply having fun in the moment.

If you're looking to enhance your parenting, connect more with your children, and rediscover the joy of play, this course is an absolute game-changer.’

Did you know that play is the primary language of children?

If we want to learn how to communicate with our kids in ways that build safety, closeness, resilience, and life skills, it’s time for us to develop our own playfulness, and understanding about it!

This workshop aims to introduce parents to the fundamentals of the relationship between play, playfulness and communication. You can contribute to practical parts in keeping with your own comfort levels. While it may feel like tiptoeing into something a little daunting, we plan to make it safe and fun for parents to find out more. You will have a chance to try some different approaches to parenting and tap into your own inner wisdom and resources.

Every parent knows that children can communicate in ways that seem quite extreme – showing big feelings and behaviours about what often seem like small problems in reality! This can go on sometimes for hours on end, or repeatedly. It can be exhausting to be around this kind of energy triggering big feelings and behaviours in ourselves too, often keeping us stuck in a kind of survival loop.

Understanding more about play and how it can be used to process and transform big feelings/behaviours into useful life skills, is one of the keys to a more satisfying and rewarding way to live in a family. But as adults it’s not always easy to tap into playfulness, especially if we grew up in atmospheres or environments where our own childhood needs for play were inhibited, interrupted, or diverted too early.

As Psychotherapists who use play all the time to help children and adolescents heal, we have come to understand the incredible power of play in communication. We work with play as a natural healing process, so it is no longer so frightening or overwhelming. This is the key to play therapy, and we want to share some of our skills and knowledge with you. Using a more playful approach parents can feel more empowered in relationship with their child.

Play is actually an inherent part of being human, and even if adult play looks completely different from child’s play (think of the parent who wants to spend hours tinkering on their classic car, or putting swirly designs on their cupcakes), it’s the energy driver that brings meaning and life to much of what we do. Don’t we all want more time when we get relief from the overwhelming burdens of stress and anxiety in daily life?

This workshop aims to inspire you to tap into your innate wisdom as a parent, fostering meaningful connections with your child while navigating the unique needs and personalities of your particular family.

We will be talking, exploring and also being playful at times, so wear comfortable clothes. We hope you learn ways to extend and expand what you already do, as well as gaining ideas for trying some new approaches.