play therapy

noun

: psychotherapy in which a child is encouraged to reveal feelings and conflicts in play rather than by verbalization

Examples of play therapy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The second floor of the building will provide a trauma counseling center for mothers and children that will include a visitation camp — a first-of-its-kind program to provide counseling and play therapy before or after children go to stay with another parent. Dallas News, 2 Sep. 2020 There are many more, including art therapy, attachment-based, play therapy, hypnotherapy, dance/movement therapy and family/marital therapy. Annie Vainshtein, SFChronicle.com, 21 Sep. 2020 Share Our Selves: Individual, family and group therapy, as well as play therapy for kids. Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2022 For younger children, counselors may incorporate play therapy, a popular method among child psychologists that helps kids feel comfortable talking about their feelings. Seamus McAvoy, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2022 Older children ages 3-to-5 are ideal candidates for play therapy, according to Whitson. Chelsey Cox, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2022 Like conventional play therapy, which uses toys to help patients express thoughts and feelings, online gaming offers another way to communicate. Gina Rich, Wired, 30 Nov. 2021 The new clinic will have a playroom for play therapy, confidential waiting rooms, and rooms of different sizes for counseling. Sriya Reddy, Dallas News, 25 June 2021 There will be children’s play therapy and counseling rooms. Cheryl Hall, Dallas News, 4 Dec. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'play therapy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of play therapy was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near play therapy

Cite this Entry

“Play therapy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20therapy. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

Medical Definition

play therapy

noun
: psychotherapy in which a child is encouraged to reveal feelings and conflicts in play rather than by verbalization

More from Merriam-Webster on play therapy

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