Introduction to the Special Section on Dramatic Play

This special section of Early Childhood Research and Practice features two practitioner perspectives on children’s involvement in dramatic play. Dramatic play, socio-dramatic play, symbolic play, pretend play—these varied terms describe interrelated phenomena well known to those who work with young children. The terms all refer to play that involves “pretending” or the use of symbols that “stand in” for that which is real: one child “becomes” a dog and another child its “owner”; a puppet “speaks” for a child; a pile of blocks represents a cave for bears. Though the vital importance of such play is widely accepted among child development specialists and early childhood practitioners, recent developments in early care and education policy appear to reflect a devaluing of play in general, especially in schools and other out-of-home settings for young children. Official concern over “school readiness” appears to have led to an increase in hours spent on academic pursuits in many programs, with a reduction in the amount of time available for dramatic play. The two articles in this section are evidence that such play remains an integral part of some classrooms.