Therapeutic play is regarded not only as an essential component of pediatric nursing but also a mean to provide holistic nursing care with high quality. Hospitalization, treatments and unfamiliarity will affect children and increase their psychological stress. Thus, communication plays a crucial role. Therapeutic play can be a mediator to prom.ote the interaction between the medical team and children, and may increase their cooperation and acceptance for treatments and their understanding of the physical condition, the treatment interventions, and self-care. As the result, the children may gain a sense of control and autonomy. This article describes therapeutic play and the development of child play and explores definitions and functions of therapeutic play. In addition, the article presents the applications and considerations of therapeutic play in a nursing practicum. Through the process, health care providers can use therapeutic play to create non-invasive environment and provide individualized care.