Researcher Spotlight: Dr Fotini Vasilopoulos
Postdoctoral Researcher and Project Manager, 123PLay
A growing body of research is showing that our formative years have an influential impact on our mental health.
As research disciplines and theories develop, we are learning more about why and how our mental health can be affected so young and what can be done to support young children.
At the Matilda Centre, Dr Fotini Vasilopoulos is working with the CREATE Centre to run 123Play – a project linking different disciplines together for a mission: prevent mental ill-health and improve wellbeing in Australians aged 0-6.
For this Researcher Spotlight, we join Dr Vasilopoulos to learn more about her journey, why play is used in the 123Play prevention program, and what she’d like to see from the project.
Tell us about your journey to the Matilda Centre.
Two years ago, I began leading an exciting multidisciplinary project called 123Play that works with the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Sydney. My passion for this work is deeply personal.
During primary school, I experienced how creative practices—particularly dance—excluded children like me. The movement forms valued in my school felt disconnected from my family's culture and the diverse communities around me.
When I later taught creative dance in inner-city London primary schools, I witnessed how creative movement could unlock confidence and capabilities in disadvantaged children—but only when approached inclusively. This experience transformed my understanding of how we can use creativity to support all children, regardless of their background.
This led me to pursue a Masters in Education (Psychology) from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in Psychology from the University of London, where I investigated how creative dance during primary school impacts outcomes like self-regulation and creativity. My current research focus is on creativity and self-regulatory processes during childhood and how these processes influence childhood outcomes.
I ended up at the Matilda Centre because they were venturing into something novel for the centre – working with preschool-aged children on pretend play. It was the perfect intersection of my interests and their willingness to explore new territory in early childhood mental health prevention.
For me, it's about ensuring that every child has access to the creative experiences that support their wellbeing—the experiences I didn't always have access to myself.
Why is play used in a mental health prevention program?
Pretend play is the secret language of childhood – it's how young children naturally express themselves and make sense of their world. Through pretend play, children use symbolic communication, fantasy, and role play to express how they feel or re-enact life experiences e.g., a child might use a doll and bottle to act out feeding or create an imaginary companion.
Pretend play provides a safe distance for children to express themselves and work through feelings and experiences without having to directly confront them. This is why, in clinical settings, play has been used therapeutically to address social, emotional, and psychological concerns in young children.
But here's what's really important: research indicates that pretend play can help children manage anxiety, and conversely, play deprivation can increase the risk of mental health difficulties later on. Pretend play also involves higher-order thinking (e.g., improvisation) which builds both creativity and self-regulation.
We chose to focus on play precisely because it nurtures something children already do instinctively. It's prevention that speaks their language.
Photo: Dr Fotini Vasilopoulos presents at the Society for Mental Health Researchers Conference 2024 in Sydney. Supplied
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LinkWith the 0-6 age range, what mental health considerations do we need to take?
The early childhood period, particularly ages 3-5, is absolutely critical because this is when the foundations for lifelong mental health are being laid.
Children's emotional regulation skills develop rapidly during these years and are the building blocks for good mental health throughout life. Fascinatingly, the development of these skills coincides with the emergence and flourishing of pretend play. Pretend play abilities emerge around age 2-3 and reach their peak quality at age 5-6.
This developmental window is our opportunity. Research suggests that pretend play may enhance emotional development in young children, so at ages 3-5, we're working with children at a time when they're naturally developing both their capacity for imaginative play and their emotional regulation skills. By supporting high-quality pretend play experiences, we're supporting the very foundations of mental health and wellbeing.
The key consideration is that we need to intervene early and preventatively, before difficulties emerge. By the time children reach school age, patterns are already being established. This is our chance to give all children the emotional and regulatory skills they need to thrive.
What would you like to see as an outcome of the 123Play project?
Dr Fotini Vasilopoulos showing an example of play at the Society for Mental Health Researchers Conference 2024. Supplied
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LinkMy ultimate vision is that all children have access to high-quality pretend play experiences that truly supports their development and wellbeing.
We've just finished our 8-week pilot program with really promising results. We've seen improvements in children's self-regulation, agency, and confidence. But what I'm most excited about is creating something sustainable and scalable.
The program has been designed as a toolkit within the Early Years Learning Framework, specifically with early educators in mind. We want to scale this so that educators can implement it independently in their own settings, without needing constant external support.
The future I want to see for 123Play is it embedded in early childhood settings across Australia, giving every child the chance to play, express themselves, and build those crucial foundations for mental health and wellbeing. When educators understand how to observe children's starting points and support their natural play without taking over, that's when the magic happens.
Interested in learning more about 123Play or Dr Fotini Vasilopoulos’s work? Check out the 123Play website or get in touch with Fotini via LinkedIn.