The Effects of the Structure of Play Objects on the Pretend Play of Low-Income Preschool Children

Abstract

McLoYD, VONNIE C. The Effects of the Structure of Play Objects on the Pretend Play of LowIncome Preschool Children. CHriLD DEVELOPMENT, 1983, 54, 626-635. The effects of highstructure versus low-structure objects on various types and components of pretend play in a sample of 36 low-income, predominantly Afro-American preschoolers were examined. Competing hypotheses, derived from the work of Piaget and El'Konin, and claims about the relative holding power of low-structure and high-structure toys, were tested. 12 triads of children, equally divided by age and sex, were observed in 4 30-min play sessions. In 2 of the sessions, high-structure or replica objects (e.g., tea sets, dolls, trucks) were available; in the remaining 2, low-structure objects (e.g., pipe cleaners, blocks, boxes) were provided. The results were generally consistent with El'Konin's analysis of symbolic play development. Highstructure objects, compared with low-structure objects, significantly increased noninteractive pretend play in 312-year-old triads, but not in 5-year-old triads. High-structure objects also elicited significantly more associative pretend play and overall pretend play. However, the structure of the play objects did not significantly affect cooperative pretend play. Substitution was more frequent with low-structure objects, while high-structure objects were associated with more pretend themes and onomatopoeia.