An Analysis of The Types of As-If Elements and Narratives in Pretend Play

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the types of asif elements and narratives that appear in pretend play. A total of 29 children participated in this study. These included ten 3yearold children (7 boys and 3 girls), nine 4yearold children (5 boys and 4 girls), and ten 5yearold children (6 boys and 4 girls). Five undergraduates majoring in early childhood care and education were trained to observe and record the asif elements and narratives in the pretend play. The children were divided into 6 groups of 5 children each, and one group of four. The children participated in three pretend play sessions. The first session’s theme was ‘my house and my family’, the second session’s theme was ‘our town’, and the third session’s theme was ‘the castle’. The duration of each play session was 30 minutes. To facilitate the pretend play, 3 observers read fairy tales based on each session’s theme to the children for 10 minutes as an introductory activity and the pretend play session had a duration of 20 minutes. In addition, to activate the pretend play, toys related to each pretend play session and dramatic costumes (for example, prince and princess costumes) were provided. The researcher and five research assistants observed and recorded all play conversations and behaviors. In addition, two video camcorders were used to record all the play sessions. The mean and standard deviations of the asif elements were calculated. The results were as follows: First, the types of pretend play were ‘theatrical pretend play’, ‘doll dramatic pretend play’, and a ‘mix of theatrical and doll dramatic pretend play’. The objects of pretending were ‘pretending to play a role’, ‘pretending play with an object’, and ‘pretending a situation (pretending a time, pretending a space)’. The ways of pretending were the ‘selfsubjective pretend play’ and ‘projective pretend play’. Second, among the types of pretend play, ‘doll dramatic pretend play’ appeared most frequently, followed by ‘theatrical pretend play’, and the ‘mix of theatrical and doll dramatic pretend play’. In the ‘doll dramatic pretend play’, ‘pretending play with an object’ appeared most frequently, followed by ‘pretending to play a role’, and ‘pretending a situation’.