play therapy

n. Any of numerous forms of child therapy in which the child is given an opportunity to play, usually with a set of toys, clay, drawing materials, or sand tray, in the presence of a therapist who may or may not ask questions or otherwise direct the play. It is based on the assumption that the child's emotional life is reflected in his or her play and is an opportunity to discover new ways of coping with her/his problems. Play therapy is done both individually and in groups, and in groups it is assumed that the children in the group serve as a situation in which the child can explore forms of acting, thinking, and feeling with 
different feedback from that received in their home situations.