Expressing Emotion Through Play: Speech Therapy for Emotional Vocabulary in Phnom Penh

Understanding and expressing feelings is a major part of a child’s development—and it’s deeply connected to their ability to communicate. At OrbRom Center in Phnom Penh, we use play-based speech therapy to help children identify and express emotions in healthy, confident ways.

The image above shows a child fully engaged in expressing emotion through facial play and sound. These fun, exaggerated moments aren’t just joyful—they’re essential in helping children connect feelings with words, tone, and gestures.

Why Emotional Vocabulary Matters

Children who struggle to express emotions often experience:

• Outbursts due to frustration

• Difficulty making friends

• Trouble understanding others’ feelings

• Challenges with classroom behavior

• Increased anxiety or withdrawal

Building emotional vocabulary—words like happy, sad, frustrated, excited, scared—helps children label their feelings, communicate needs, and build emotional intelligence.

How OrbRom Center Supports Emotional Expression

At OrbRom Center, we incorporate emotional vocabulary into speech therapy through:

• Role play and pretend games to act out emotions

• Facial imitation games to match expressions with feeling words

• Storytelling and books about emotions

• Emotion cards and mirrors for identifying facial cues

• Songs and social stories that introduce emotion concepts

Our therapists gently guide children in linking words to feelings—often starting with body language and progressing to full verbal expression.

For Whom Is This Approach Effective?

This type of speech therapy is especially helpful for:

• Children with autism spectrum disorder

• Children with speech and language delays

• Children who are non-verbal or minimally verbal

• Children with social communication disorder

• Children with trauma or difficulty regulating emotions

Emotional vocabulary development supports both expressive and receptive language growth, while boosting social skills and classroom readiness.

Collaboration with Occupational Therapy

In some cases, children also benefit from occupational therapy, particularly if:

• They have sensory challenges affecting emotional regulation

• They need help recognizing internal body cues (e.g., “I’m tired” or “I’m overstimulated”)

• They struggle with transitions or group settings

Our team at OrbRom takes a holistic approach, offering integrated support that addresses emotional, sensory, and communication needs.

Why Phnom Penh Families Choose OrbRom Center

We are known across Phnom Penh for our:

• Child-led, play-based therapy approach

• Multilingual speech-language therapists

• Personalized therapy plans for emotional and language growth

• Family coaching to continue progress at home

• Central location with a warm, inviting space (see us on Google Maps)

We make therapy fun, functional, and meaningful—so your child not only talks more but feels heard and understood.

Help Your Child Express with Confidence

If your child struggles to name feelings, manage emotions, or connect with others, therapy focused on emotional vocabulary may be the key.

Contact OrbRom Center in Phnom Penh today to learn how our speech therapy services can help your child grow emotionally and communicatively.