TY - JOUR PY - 1993// TI - The ecology of dramatic play centers and children's social and cognitive play JO - Early childhood research quarterly A1 - Howe, Nina A1 - Moller, Lora A1 - Chambers, Bette A1 - Petrakos, Harriet SP - 235 EP - 251 VL - 8 IS - 2 N2 - Traditional housekeeping and novel dramatic play centers were employed to compare the effects of theme, novelty, and duration on the social and cognitive play of 2 1/2- to 5-year-old children in a repeated-measures design (Term 1, n = 47; Term 2, n = 53). Significantly more dramatic play was observed in the familiar than the unfamiliar centers and on Day 1 of each novel center than on Day 3. The hypothesis that children would engage in more frequent dramatic play in the novel and postintervention housekeeping centers, compared to baseline, was generally not supported. Girls preferred the traditional housekeeping centers, whereas boys preferred the novel centers; age differences in preferences were also apparent. Findings are discussed in light of direct implications for curriculum planning and specific recommendations are advanced for educators.
LA - SN - 0885-2006 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0885-2006(05)80093-6 ID - ref1 ER -