Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons^™

Teacher Versus Parent Perceptions Of Children's Imaginative (Pretend) Play As An Avenue For Learning And The Implication Of Digital Media Use, Christine Snyder

Impact: A Journal of Community and Cultural Inquiry in Education

This study explores teacher and parent perceptions of children’s imaginative (pretend) play as an avenue for learning and the implication of digital media use. In this study, 100 teachers and 130 parents (n = 230) of one- to five-year-olds completed a survey expressing their views on play, children’s exposure to digital media, and observations of children’s learning and development. Observations of children’s learning and development focused specifically on creativity, executive function skills, problem solving, and social interactions. Findings indicate that generally parents and teachers value play, children have greater exposure to digital media at home (versus school), and observations of …