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play group

play group

2 2.0
A small informal group where young children meet to play and learn
  • noun
  • /pleɪ ɡruːp/
translation icon : grupo de juego
  • The play group meets twice a week in the community center for activities and socializing.
  • play group for new mothers
  • child's play group

There were children of people at at the conference and they had play groups and crashes and things.

Examples

  • In our neighborhood, many children attend a play group to make friends before starting school.

  • The local play group has moved to a new location... because the children have started having hysterics for no obvious reason.

  • She had a play group and loved to visit back and forth with her friends.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • I'm on the Ventura Freeway, taking the baby to his play group.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • We went with our church's play group to Green Meadows Petting Zoo.

    Blog text (12)
  • Even though he is not in daycare, each day he participates in activities from sing-alongs to play groups and interacts with other toddlers.

    Blog text (16)
  • My two-year-old loves going to her play group every Wednesday afternoon.

Synonyms

playdate
vsplay group
15 1.7

A planned time when children meet to play, usually arranged by parents

refers to a small informal ongoing session that meets during the day
playgroup
vsplay group
3 1.0

A group where young children meet to play and make friends while an adult watches

has identical meaning but is written as two words

How Structured

nursery
37 1.0
preschool
94 1.3
play group
2 2.0
playdate
15 1.7

Surface Forms

play group singular
play groups plural

Morphology

play + group

The meaning 'a small informal group for young children who meet to play and learn' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'play' (playful activity) with 'group' (a collection of people). This noun-noun compounding pattern is common and cross-linguistically familiar, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Play group paints a simple picture of children in a small group who play together while parents watch and talk. That's why play group means a small, informal meeting for young children to play and learn 'before school'.