Connections between children’s involvement in dramatic play and the quality of early childhood environments

Abstract

Dramatic play is a typical activity that provides many benefits for preschool children’s learning and development. This paper presents the findings of a mixed-method study that examined the level of preschool children’s involvement in dramatic play and the connection between this involvement and the quality of the classroom environment. The study assessed the involvement of 101 children’s involvement in dramatic play across four preschool classrooms. The quality of each classroom was evaluated using the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale – Revised. Furthermore, video observations were collected to capture children’s interactions with physical elements of the classroom environment and their teacher. The findings have highlighted a positive connection between the quality of the classroom and the level of children’s involvement in dramatic play. Specifically, early childhood educators were shown to have a crucial and much needed role in guiding children’s involvement in dramatic play.