Plays etc? Oh yes, every so often (4)
I believe the answer is:
toys
'plays' is the definition.
(I know this)
'etc? oh yes every so often' is the wordplay.
'every so often' means one should take alternating letters.
'etc'+'oh'+'yes'='etcohyes'
The alternating letters of 'etcohyes' are 'TOYS'.
(Other definitions for toys that I've seen before include "Plays (with something), not seriously" , "dolls, for example" , "Fiddles" , "Film" , "Chihuahuas?" .)