Social Class Differences in the Fantasy Play of Preschool Children

Abstract

Summary Reports have suggested social class differences in the fantasy play of young children, but little detailed evidence is available as to exactly what differences are involved. Observations were made in four similar preschools in England, two taking mainly middle-class children and two mainly working-class children. In each school, 16 boys and girls, aged 3 and 4 years, were observed for three periods of five minutes each. The middle-class children were found to engage in more episodes of fantasy play than the working-class children. The length of episodes did not differ significantly, but the mean number of play participants was larger for the middle-class sample. Middle-class children were more likely to show elaboration in fantasy play episodes, working-class children were more likely to show replica use of objects. The results are discussed in relation to Eifermann's hypothesis of a developmental lag in the fantasy play of children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.