The Dynamics of Pretend Play: Exploring Organization, Elaboration, and Imagination in Early Childhood

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cris.lastimport.scopus2025-12-15T04:10:15Z
dc.abstract.enPretend play is a fundamental aspect of early childhood development, fostering cognitive, social, and emotional growth. This study explores the dynamics of pretend play engagement, focusing on three key dimensions – Organization, Elaboration, and Imagination – within a single play session. Using a sample of 93 Polish children aged 3 to 6, we examined how engagement fluctuates over time and whether these patterns are influenced by gender and age. Research Findings: Our findings reveal that engagement peaks between the 10th and 15th minute of play before gradually declining, with older children demonstrating greater stability in engagement. Girls exhibited higher levels of Organization and Elaboration compared to boys, whereas gender differences in Imagination were less pronounced. A linear mixed-effects model indicated that while age was not a significant main predictor of engagement, it interacted with time and play dimensions, suggesting that developmental differences emerge in specific play contexts. These results provide novel insights into the temporal structure of pretend play, highlighting the importance of sustained engagement for cognitive and social development. Practice or Policy: The study’s implications extend to early childhood education, emphasizing the need for structured play environments that optimize peak engagement periods and support diverse play experiences across genders and age groups.
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.affiliationHealth & Coping Research Group
dc.contributor.authorJózefacka, Natalia
dc.contributor.authorHamamci, Beyza
dc.date.access2025-09-23
dc.date.accessioned2025-09-23T06:15:35Z
dc.date.available2025-09-23T06:15:35Z
dc.date.created2025-09-19
dc.date.issued2025-09-19
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.issue8
dc.description.physical1791-1808
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume69
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/10409289.2025.2562146
dc.identifier.eissn1556-6935
dc.identifier.issn1040-9289
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/1806
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10409289.2025.2562146
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsClosedAccess
dc.rights.explanationArtykuł nie został opublikowany w open access.
dc.rights.questionNo_rights
dc.share.articleOTHER
dc.swps.sciencecloudnosend
dc.titleThe Dynamics of Pretend Play: Exploring Organization, Elaboration, and Imagination in Early Childhood
dc.title.journalEARLY EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle