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SYNOPSIS
Vygoskian and Piagetian theories support the many connections between cognitive competence, socio emotional stability and high-quality make-believe play. This essay defines the cluster of concepts related to make-believe play, cognition and socio-emotional development. This essay also notes that there is evidence to suggest that high-quality pretend play is an important facilitator of perspective taking and later abstract thought, that it may facilitate higher-level cognition. Unstructured, make-believe play is the learning medium of children with research indicating that pretending is vital to the development of creative thinking skills. I propose that make-believe play expresses the young childs emerging capacity to engage in a form of free flowing thinking that accesses an unlimited reservoir of development.
Make-believe play, a magical and fascinating part of early childhood, may be an experience shared by several children, or it may involve a child by him or herself - using their imagination to transform a block of wood into a car, for example, or a doll into a sleeping baby. This essay will address why, in all of its forms, make-believe is a vital part of childhood development that encompasses cognitive and social-emotional domains. With emphasis on the theories of Vygotsky and Piaget, the functions of make-believe play, will reveal themselves to contribute significantly to the prevailing life of the infant.
Although difficult to define, Shaffer (1985), interprets pretend or make-believe play as when the child transforms the physical environment into a symbol. ... Pretend play predominately occurs very early in development at around 18 months and continues through 4 or 5 years old. Many experts on play consider the preschool years the ．golden age・ of pretence/symbolic play that is dramatic or sociodramatic in nature (Garvey, 1990). ... Piaget・s sensorimotor theory claims that pretend play can increase a child・s novelty and curiosity. ... "Make-believe is the primary way that preschoolers learn about the world," explains Dorothy G. Singer, in her book The House of Make-Believe (pg. ... It is through such pretend play, that children ponder and absorb this information (Singer 1990).
Make-believe also helps pre-schoolers develop intellectual skills, Dr. Singer ads, "fantasy play marks the beginning of abstract thinking：(pg. ...
Make-believe also plays an important social function, according to Crain (1992), it provides a common ground where children can connect. Imaginary play enables children to form friendships. Paley (cited in Crain,1992), recalls how the preschoolers in her classroom used make-believe as a kind of social currency. When a new child wanted to make friends with other children, he might volunteer for a role in their game. Similarly, the child who could invent interesting story lines was always popular, further demonstrating make-believe・s integral part in social functions.
Piagetian perspective
According to Piagetian theory, play first appears during the sensorimotor period, or when the child is approximately around 1-4 months of age when imitation of familiar behaviours becomes more noticeable (Weiten, 1998).
Approximate Word count = 2414
Approximate Pages = 9.7
(250 words per page double spaced)
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