play therapy
the use of play activities and materials (e.g., clay, water, blocks, dolls, puppets, finger paint) in child psychotherapy. Play-therapy techniques are based on the theory that such activities mirror the child’s emotional life and fantasies, enabling the child to “play out” feelings and problems and to test out new approaches and understand relationships in action rather than words. This form of psychotherapy, which focuses on a child’s internal conflicts in addition to his or her daily life and current relationships, may be directive or nondirective. See directive play therapy; nondirective play therapy. See also projective play.