TOYS AND MATERIALS IN PLAY THERAPY. Play therapy is for children what counseling is for adults. In the playroom, toys are used as words, and play is the child's language. (Harry L. Landreth) At meetings with a play therapist, children are provided with special toys with which they can express what they cannot say in words. Typically, parents are interested in why the child’s well-being improves after play therapy. In such cases, my answer is something like this: for sure, In a difficult life situation, you have had the opportunity to tell a sympathetic and understanding person about what worries and concerns you. You felt better, you found a solution to the problem and calmed down. Something similar happens to children in play therapy. They can use toys, sand, water, play dough, and paint to express what they think or feel. The toys and materials in my office are simple, safe, and meet the following requirements: Provide room for creative expression; Provide a wide range of emotional expression; Stimulate interest child; Facilitate expressive and exploratory play; Enable exploration and expression without verbalization; Create the possibility of success without a prescribed structure; Create the opportunity for undefined play. Playroom equipment is grouped into three large classes: Real life toys (doll family in a house, cars, truck, boat , chalkboard with, etc.) Toys that help respond to aggression (soldiers, pistols, shotguns, rubber knives, hammers, logs and nails, toys depicting wild animals, etc.) Toys for creative expression (masks, jewelry and outfits for role-playing games, sand, water, paints, markers, plasticine, clay, cubes, scissors, glue, colorful paper). Play therapist E.V. The goddess identifies the following categories of toys: Toys for sensory play (natural materials, fabric, plastic, iron, fur, rubber toys) Toys for regressive play (pacifiers, pacifiers, bottles, pebbles, balloon and ball, animals with cubs) Toys for “ dirty" games (clay, paint, plasticine) Toys for playing with water (dishes, water mill, funnels, tubes, straws, bottles, glasses, plastic products, pebbles, baths, ships, boats). Toys for outdoor play (ball, rackets) Other criteria for selecting toys: By size (large, medium, small) Toy or real Modern and antique. Literature:1. New directions in play therapy. Problems, process and special populations. Ed. Harry L. Landreth. Cogito-Center, M., -2007.2. Journal "Psychologist in kindergarten" 2010, N1. Thematic issue: E.V. Goddess. Child's versions: theory and practice of non-directive play therapy.