...In what ways, might engaging in pretend play in early childhood be beneficial for a child’s development? Play can be hard to define due to the diverse understanding within different cultures and social norms. To play, is a child to interacting with the environment both mentally and physically. Per Smilanksy (1968) there are four developmental stages of play that a child progresses through. Functional play is exploring through movement using self and objects, learning about cause and effect. Construction play is the next stage in which a child gets creative and builds things, manipulating and experimenting with the environment around them. Dramatic play then follows suit; a child will pretend to be a doctor while role playing and inventing...
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