Margaret Lowenfeld

Dr Margaret Lowenfeld (b. 1890, d. 1973) was a pioneer of child psychology and psychotherapy. Originally a paediatrician, she was involved in relief-work in her native Poland after World War One, where she began speculating about what enabled some children to survive and even flourish in spite of traumatic experiences. Dr. Lowenfeld's notably original contributions derived from her recognition that play is an important component of children's development. Furthermore, she demonstrated that language is frequently an inadequate mode of expression for children to communicate their experiences. From these premises she invented non-verbal techniques that enabled children to express their thoughts and feelings.

The three primary techniques invented and developed by Dr. Lowenfeld are The Lowenfeld World Technique, Lowenfeld Mosaics and Lowenfeld Kaleidoblocs.

In the late 1920s Dr Lowenfeld established one of the first child guidance clinics in Britain in Notting Hill, London, which she developed into the Institute for Child Psychology. The ICP trained child psychotherapists in the use of Dr. Lowenfeld's theories and techniques as well as operating as the local child guidance centre. The ICP was eventually funded by the National Health Service. These arrangements provided ICP students with unique experiences of child guidance practice during their training.

Dr. Lowenfeld's inventions are featured in a special cabinet in the History of Medicine section at the Science Museum, London. Dr Lownefeld is also a substantial presence in a major semi-permanent exhibition at the Science Museum, 'Mind Your Head', that celebrates the Centenary of the British Psychological Society.

Selected publications

 * Lowenfeld, Margaret (1979) The world technique, London; Boston : Allen & Unwin, (ISBN  0041500679)
 * Lowenfeld, Margaret (1991) Play in childhood ; with a foreword by John Davis, London: Mac Keith Press; New York : Distributed by Cambridge University Press, (ISBN 0521413311 (USA))  (ISBN  0901260843 (UK)) (Originally published in 1935)
 * Unwin, C and Hood-Williams, J (Eds)(1988) Child psychotherapy, war, and the normal child : selected papers of Margaret Lowenfeld, London : Free Association Books, (ISBN 1853430358)