Progress Notes for Play Therapy: Template + Examples (2026)
Overview
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Short answer: a play therapy progress note describes what the child actually did and said in the session (the play materials chosen, play behaviors, themes, and the child’s words in quotation marks), the play therapy approach and techniques you used and the treatment-plan goal they serve, how the child responded, including any limits you set, and the plan, including updates from or to caregivers. Keep observations separate from interpretation: write what you saw, then label any meaning you draw from it as your clinical impression.
Play is how many children aged about 3 to 12 communicate what they cannot yet put into words, so the record is mostly observation. Name your approach, such as child-centered play therapy, filial therapy, cognitive behavioral play therapy or sand tray work, so a reader can see why the session looked the way it did. Link each session to goals that caregivers and teachers can see, such as fewer tantrums at home or more time on task in class. If a child discloses abuse or neglect, or you observe signs of it, follow your state’s mandated reporting law and your organization’s protocol, and document what was said, what you observed and the report you made. The table shows what goes in each section.
What to document in a play therapy progress note
| Section | What to document | Example wording |
|---|---|---|
| Session Summary | Caregiver or teacher report since the last session | “Mother reports 2 meltdowns this week (about 5 a week at intake), both at bedtime.” |
| Session Summary | What the child chose and did, in observable terms | “Chose the dollhouse and family figures; spent about 20 minutes moving the child figure between two houses.” |
| Session Summary | Themes, with the child’s own words | “Recurring theme of separation. Child: ‘The little bear has to pack his bag again.’” |
| Interventions | Approach, techniques and the goal they serve | “Child-centered play therapy: tracking, reflecting feelings and returning responsibility, toward the goal of naming feelings at home.” |
| Client Response | Affect, engagement, limits and how the child responded to them | “One limit set when the child began throwing sand; she accepted the choice to pour it into the bucket instead.” |
| Client Response | Your clinical impression, labeled as such | “Clinician’s impression: play themes may reflect worry about moving between two homes.” |
| Plan Updates | Caregiver consultation, coordination and the next session | “Shared general themes with mother, per the agreement made at intake; suggested a picture schedule for exchange days; next session in 1 week.” |
Before treatment, agree with the child and caregivers what will be shared and what stays between you and the child, and record that agreement. Who can consent to treatment and see records depends on custody arrangements and your state’s law, so keep copies of any custody orders that affect consent. Record the session length and the people present, especially if a caregiver joined part of the session.
How to Document Progress Notes for Play Therapy
Session Summary
Overview of session focus, topics discussed, and client presentation
When documenting the Session Summary in play therapy, record the client’s presenting concerns, observed symptoms, and emotional states as expressed through play and verbal reports. Include any identified triggers and note the client’s mood and affect during the session.
- Describe the primary presenting concerns communicated by the client during play.
- Note any client-reported symptoms or behavioral changes observed since the last session.
- Identify specific triggers or stressors revealed through play activities or dialogue.
- Document the client’s predominant mood and affect as observed in play interactions.
- Summarize any significant themes or narratives emerging from the client’s play.
Interventions
Therapeutic techniques and interventions applied during the session
In the Interventions section for play therapy, detail the specific techniques and therapeutic modalities utilized, along with clinical observations about the client’s engagement and interaction with play materials.
- List the types of play therapy techniques employed (e.g., sand tray, role play, art-based).
- Describe how the client engaged with the play materials during the session.
- Note any therapeutic modalities integrated, such as cognitive-behavioral play or narrative therapy.
- Record clinician’s observations of client’s nonverbal behaviors and symbolic representations in play.
- Document adaptations made to interventions based on client’s responsiveness or developmental level.
Client Response
Client's reaction to interventions and observable progress
The Client Response section should capture the client’s reactions to interventions, progress toward therapeutic goals, and any diagnostic insights gained through play therapy observations.
- Evaluate the client’s level of participation and emotional expression during play activities.
- Assess changes in client’s behavior or mood compared to previous sessions.
- Note any new insights or self-awareness demonstrated by the client through play.
- Record client’s verbal or nonverbal responses to therapeutic interventions.
- Label interpretations of play as your clinical impression, separate from what you observed.
Plan Updates
Changes to treatment plan, goals, and next session focus
Document the plan updates by outlining next steps in treatment, including any modifications, homework assignments, referrals, or scheduling details tailored to the client’s needs in play therapy.
- Specify any changes to therapeutic goals or focus areas based on session observations.
- Assign play-based homework or activities for the client to engage in between sessions.
- Recommend referrals to other specialists if indicated by session findings.
- Schedule or confirm dates for upcoming play therapy sessions.
- Detail adjustments to intervention strategies or modalities planned for future sessions.
SOAP Notes for Play Therapy
Alternative format for documenting play therapy
DAP Notes for Play Therapy
Alternative format for documenting play therapy
BIRP Notes for Play Therapy
Alternative format for documenting play therapy
SIRP Notes for Play Therapy
Alternative format for documenting play therapy
GIRP Notes for Play Therapy
Alternative format for documenting play therapy
PIE Notes for Play Therapy
Alternative format for documenting play therapy
Play therapy progress note example
Fictional documentation example, not treatment guidance. Adapt it to the session you actually provided and your organization’s requirements.
Session Summary: Fictional 7-year-old girl, session 8 of child-centered play therapy, 45 minutes, child alone in the playroom and mother for a 10-minute check-in at the end. Adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct (F43.25), diagnosed at intake after her parents separated 5 months ago; she now spends alternate weeks at each parent’s home. Treatment-plan goals: fewer than 2 meltdowns a week at home, naming at least 3 feelings, and sleeping in her own bed. Mother reports 2 meltdowns this week (about 5 a week at intake), both on the evening of an exchange day, and that she slept in her own bed on 5 of 7 nights. In session, she chose the dollhouse and a family of bear figures and spent about 20 minutes moving the small bear between two houses, packing and unpacking a bag. Child: “The little bear has to pack his bag again. He forgot his blanket.” She then used the sand tray, building two houses with a bridge between them.
Interventions: Child-centered play therapy: tracking, reflecting content and feelings (“The little bear is worried he’ll forget something”), and returning responsibility (“You can decide where the bridge goes”). Set one limit, using the acknowledge, communicate, target alternatives approach, when she began throwing sand outside the tray. Brief caregiver check-in at the end of the session.
Client Response: Engaged for the full session; affect anxious during the packing play and brighter when building the bridge. When sand was thrown, she accepted the limit and poured the sand into the bucket instead. She named “worried” and “mad” for the bear, and “happy” when the bridge was finished. Clinician’s impression: the separation and packing themes may reflect worry about moving between two homes; she is now naming feelings in play, which she did not do at intake. No disclosures of harm or safety concerns.
Plan Updates: Shared general themes and progress with her mother, without the details of the play, as agreed at intake. Suggested a picture schedule showing which home she is in each day and letting her pack one comfort item herself on exchange days; mother will share the schedule with father. Continue weekly child-centered play therapy; offer a joint caregiver session in 2 weeks. Caregiver will repeat the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at session 12. Next session in 1 week.
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Tips for Progress Notes for Play Therapy
1. Observe first, interpret second
Write what the child did and said in observable terms, then add any meaning you draw from it as a labeled clinical impression. A reader should be able to tell the two apart.
2. Use the child’s words
Quote short phrases the child said in play. They show themes more clearly than a summary and help you track change across sessions.
3. Name your approach
Record whether you used child-centered play therapy, filial therapy, cognitive behavioral play therapy, sand tray work or another approach, and the specific techniques, such as tracking, reflecting feelings or limit setting.
4. Record limits and the response
Note each limit you set, why, and how the child responded. Over time this shows growth in self-control, which is often a treatment goal.
5. Link play to real-life goals
Connect each session to goals caregivers and teachers can see, such as fewer meltdowns, sleeping in their own bed or more time on task, and record their reports.
6. Document caregiver contact and consent
Record what was shared with caregivers and what stayed private, as agreed at intake, who has legal consent, and any mandated report you made, with what was said and observed.
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Further Reading
- APA Documentation Guidelines — Provides detailed standards and best practices for clinical documentation relevant to mental health professionals.
- SAMHSA — Offers resources on behavioral health documentation and treatment planning useful for play therapy progress notes.
- American Counseling Association — Contains ethical guidelines and documentation recommendations for counselors including those practicing play therapy.