The purpose of this case study was to help one preschool Neuroblastoma child cope with the stresses of hospitalization, surgical operation, and cancer chemotherapy. A qualitative research design was used to observe and record activities with the child during nursing care activities. Chao (Yu) (1991) content analytic method (1991) was used to analyze the data of eleven process recordings. Analyses showed that the two coping behaviors most frequency used by the child were (a) emotion-focused coping such as anger, crying, postponement, and regression; and (b) problem-focused coping, such as self-control, distraction, information-seeking, facing reality, and comparison. The cognitive theory for preschool children was used to understand the effects of emotional outlet play, instructional play, and physiologic-enhancing play in releasing the child's stresses, improving the adaptation of hospitalization, and achieving the purposes of play. Nurses can use the findings of this study to improve cancer children's ability to cope with stresses during hospitalization and to change adaptation behaviors.