A Jungian Explanation for Parents
“But he never watched superheroes…”
So why does my child still play the hero?
Many parents are surprised when their child repeatedly uses strong symbolic images in play — heroes, fighters, animals, monsters, battles, kings, or queens — especially when the parent knows the child has not been exposed to violent games, movies, or media.
A common question I hear in my practice is:
“Where does this come from? He never learned this.”
From a Jungian psychological perspective, this type of play is not learned behaviour.
It is a sign of natural and healthy psychological development.
Children are born with an inner symbolic language
Just as children are born with a body that knows how to grow, walk, and breathe, they are also born with a psyche that knows how to express itself.
Before children can think in words, they communicate through:
- play
- images
- movement
- story
- symbols
According to Carl Jung, the human psyche contains a shared, inherited psychological foundation, which he called the collective unconscious (Jung, 1969). This means children do not start life as blank slates. They are born with innate tendencies to respond to life through symbolic images.
When life feels exciting, confusing, frightening, or overwhelming, symbols arise from within the child, not from outside influence.
What is a symbol in child development?
A symbol is the psyche’s way of making inner emotional experiences visible.
Young children often cannot yet say:
- “I feel unsafe”
- “I am overwhelmed”
- “I feel small in a big world”
Instead, their psyche creates images that carry these feelings:
- a hero who fights danger
- a monster that threatens
- an animal that protects
- a king or queen who brings order
From a Jungian perspective, symbols help children regulate emotions, organise inner experience, and restore psychological balance (Kalff, 2003).
Why hero symbols appear so often (especially in boys)
The Hero archetype is a universal psychological pattern found across cultures, myths, and history. It represents the ego’s attempt to face challenge, danger, and growth (Jung, 1964).
In children, hero play often appears when:
- emotions feel too big
- there is stress, conflict, or change at home
- the child is developing independence
- the child feels vulnerable and needs inner strength
The hero is not about violence.
It symbolises:
- courage
- protection
- strength
- survival
- psychological growth
When a child plays the hero, the psyche is practising how to cope with the demands of life.
Isn’t this just learned behaviour?
If symbolic play were purely learned:
- children without exposure would not use the same images
- symbols would vary randomly
- play would lack emotional coherence
Yet across cultures and generations, children independently use the same symbolic themes.
Jung explained this by proposing that all human beings share a common psychic structure, rooted in our biology and evolutionary history (Jung, 1969).
Children do not copy symbols.
They activate them when their inner world needs support.
Symbolic play and emotional regulation
Modern neuroscience supports this understanding. Children regulate emotions from the body upward, not through thinking first (Siegel, 2012; Perry, 2006).
Symbolic play allows children to:
- move overwhelming feelings out of the body and into images
- create psychological distance from fear or anger
- experience mastery and resolution symbolically
This is why symbolic play is often calming rather than disruptive. It helps the nervous system settle through expression, not suppression.
What parents can do
When your child uses strong symbolic play:
- stay curious rather than alarmed
- avoid labelling the play as “bad” or “wrong”
- allow the story to unfold without interruption
- trust that play is the child’s natural way of processing life
Symbolic play is not something to stop.
It is something to witness and respect.
In summary
Your child is not learning symbols from outside influences.
Your child is expressing an inner symbolic language shared by all humans.
This is not a problem.
It is a sign of healthy emotional and psychological development.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Is hero or battle play a sign of aggression?
No. In symbolic play, battles usually represent inner struggle rather than violent intent. The child is working with fear, vulnerability, anger, or the need for protection. Research shows that symbolic expression often supports emotional regulation, rather than increasing aggression.
2. Should I stop or redirect this kind of play?
In most cases, no. Interrupting symbolic play can disrupt the child’s natural emotional processing. As long as the play is physically safe, it is best to allow it while remaining calmly present.
3. What if the play feels repetitive or intense?
Repetition often means the psyche is still working on something important. Intensity usually decreases as the child feels more emotionally supported. If play becomes rigid, frightening, or does not change over time, professional support may be helpful.
4. Does this mean something is wrong at home?
Not necessarily. Symbolic play appears during normal developmental phases and periods of change. Stress can activate stronger symbols, but the play itself is a healthy response, not a diagnosis.
5. When should I be concerned?
Consider seeking professional support if:
- the play is linked to ongoing emotional distress
- the child shows extreme withdrawal, fear, or loss of functioning
- the play becomes compulsive and does not evolve over time
A trained play or sandplay therapist can help understand what the symbols are expressing.
References
- Jung, C. G. (1964). Man and His Symbols. London: Aldus Books.
- Jung, C. G. (1969). The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious (Collected Works, Vol. 9, Part 1). Princeton: Princeton University Press.
- Kalff, D. M. (2003). Sandplay: A Psychotherapeutic Approach to the Psyche. Santa Monica: Sigo Press.
- Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Whole-Brain Child. New York: Bantam.
- Perry, B. D. (2006). Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children.