A charity working to raise awareness of the importance of play has said games can be instrumental in supporting children's resilience.
PlayBoard said young people are being increasingly exposed to themes and concepts they may struggle to understand.
The charity has published a new fact sheet called Fostering Resilience Through Play.
It said the Troubles may be a distant memory for some people, but for others there had been a lasting impact, not just on themselves but on the next generation.
It noted that Northern Ireland has the highest rate of mental ill health in the UK, adding that "this cannot be a coincidence".
"It is important to consider the trans-generational impact on children and young people and to assess how play can support their resilience, processing, and understanding of the world in which they live, in order to improve the mental health of our next generation," the charity said.
"Resilience is the inner learning and strength that we find to overcome adversity, regardless of how big or small the issues may be. It is our experiences, relationships, and environment that determine and develop our resilience, however resilience is also determined by innate physiological factors that are unique to the individual."
Play is crucial to supporting young people's mental health and resilience and could have similar benefits for adults too, it added.
"Through play they can replay past events and traumas in order to make sense of their experiences and express themselves in a safe environment. The more this happens, the less shocking the event and the more the child can come to terms with their traumas such as death, injury, anger or powerlessness.
"Play gives children the medium and pathways to extend thinking and understanding in order to develop and heal. In essence; when faced with uncertainty it is through play that children can develop and practice new behaviours, and try out new strategies or solutions to challenges and emotions.
"Play is therefore vital for developing resilience and helping children to deal with stress and anxiety, and contributes to good physical and mental health."
The fact sheet also includes examples of creative play and physical activities.
"Ensure that children have access to a rich play environment which includes a variety of open-ended resources," PlayBoard said.
"An emotionally and physically safe space which has a variety of possibilities will allow children to invent and extend their play independently."
