Marna Winter and Heidi Hollingsworth (School of Education) co-authored an article on promoting pretend play in the preschool years
Some researchers have documented declines in the amount of time children spend in free play with peers, and others have expressed concerns about declines in play skills, possibly linked to a highly academic focus in preschool and kindergarten and children’s widespread use of technology. This practitioner-oriented article provides strategies for supporting pretend play.
Winter, M., & Hollingsworth, H. (2015). Promoting pretend play in the preschool years: Teacher practices and strategies for involving families. Childhood Education, 91(3), 182-189. doi: 10.1080/00094056.2015.1047309