playschool

1 2.1

A place where young children learn and play for part of the day

noun
/ˈpleɪˌskuːl/

: escuela de juegos

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they go to community playschool, where May keeps a close watch on Donna.

Examples

Rather than wandering around with insane grins on their faces, swiping screens with their grubby fingers like they're back in playschool.

Blog text (32)
Matter of fact, I should be on the way to playschool just at the moment.

About a Boy (2002)
She informed Mei well in advance of that event, long before Anna, almost two, actually started playschool.

Fiction book (1992)
Artie was the director of the Wee Tots Playschool in Evanston.

Fiction book (1999)
Mum and Dad have gone to work; Libby is at playschool learning through play with her friends.
In playschool, children engage in activities that promote social skills and creativity.

Synonyms

play group

vsplayschool

2 2.0

A small informal group where young children meet to play and learn

is a more organized place that teaches children through guided play

How Formal

kindergarten

180 1.1

preschool

94 1.3

playschool

1 2.1

playgroup

3 1.0

Surface Forms

playschool singular

playschools plural

Morphology

playschool = play + school (transparent) = play + school

The meaning 'a place/group where young children are taught through play' is directly and predictably derived from 'play' + 'school'.

Etymology

Playschool combines play ('fun activity') and school ('place for learning'). So a playschool is a small place where very young children learn through play before they start regular school.