Play is a child's natural language. Through play, children explore the world, express their emotions, and build relationships. The Erasmus+ project "Play More, Stress Less!" was created with the aim of bringing the principles of psychodrama to children and a mindful, play-based approach into preschools to support children's emotional development while giving teachers greater confidence in their daily work.

From 2024 to 2026, the Estonian Psychodrama Institute implemented the project together with its partners SKM Köln in Germany and Cognitiva in Bulgaria.

Working closely with our partners, we explored how elements of psychodrama with children can be integrated into everyday preschool practice. During study visits to Cologne and Sofia, we learned from long-established practices and gathered valuable insights for developing a training programme tailored to the needs of Estonian preschools.

The project involved teams from 12 preschools across Estonia. During the training programme, teachers learned how to recognise children's emotional needs through play and how to use role play and other creative methods in their everyday work. The training was followed by preschool visits, supervision sessions, reflective discussions, and workshops for parents.

As a result of the project, we developed a professional training programme for preschool teachers, together with a practical resource, the "Collection of Play Activities", which offers ideas and methods for using play intentionally to support children's development.

Research conducted by anthropologist Saskia Puusaar showed that the project increased teachers' awareness of children's emotional needs, encouraged them to use play-based methods more confidently, and provided greater assurance when dealing with challenging situations. The study also found improvements in teachers' job satisfaction and a deeper understanding of how play helps create a safe, supportive, and collaborative learning environment.

Read the article about Saskia Puusaar's research here.

Play More, Stress Less! The project culminated in an international conference in Tartu, attended by 84 participants. Through keynote presentations and hands-on workshops, partners from Estonia, Germany, and Bulgaria shared their experiences, while participants had the opportunity to experience play-based methods firsthand.

Although the project has come to an end, its impact continues. The newly developed training programme, the Collection of Play Activities, and the international network of partners will help bring the principles of psychodrama with children to an increasing number of preschools. As a next step, we aim to establish a psychodrama with children training programme in Estonia to expand the community of qualified professionals and ensure the sustainable development of the method.

You can follow the development of psychodrama with children in Estonia on the Facebook page Psychodrama with children in Estonia.

Marju Velström-Loorits

Kati Toobal

Mari Peetsalu

Ingrid Tiirats

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