Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/building-a-play-research-agenda-what-do-we-know-about-play-what-new-questions-do-we-need-to-ask/5017314/
“There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that high-quality pretend play is an important facilitator of perspective taking and later abstract thought, that it may facilitate higher-level cognition, and that there are clear links between pretend play and social and linguistic competence. . . . There is still a great need for research on the relationship between high-quality pretend play and development of specific academic skills.”1�" From a study by Professor Doris Bergen, Miami University of Ohio
Type children’s play research into a Google search and get ready to spend the afternoon �" and if you’re seriously dedicated to the effort, many more afternoons �" sorting through the approximately 347,000 results that will pop up. Using Google Scholar narrows it down, but enter children’s play and you’ll still be overwhelmed by the 5,070 entries to explore.
You will quickly notice a couple of trends. There are many play research entries from the United Kingdom, other European countries, Canada, Japan, and Australia. You are likely to find many more “think” pieces on play than rigorous, empirical studies with projectible conclusions. You will see that several sub-topics begin to emerge: research about indoor and outdoor play environments; the link between play and ...