“Jump into a Child’s World”: A Mixed Method Study Exploring Educators Perspectives on Pretend Play Practices in Early Childhood Settings

Abstract Emerging evidence supports the role of pretend play in the promotion of social and emotional development. Understanding early educators’ perspectives on pretend play is essential for developing effective approaches to support pretend play development in early childhood settings. While research has established the developmental benefits of pretend play, less is known about how educators understand, implement, and experience pretend play in their daily practice. The aim of this study was to garner perspectives of early educators in Australia to understand how pretend play is viewed and experienced in educational contexts. A mixed-methods design was applied including a structured online survey ( n = 58) and two focus groups ( n = 16) with early educators to understand lived experiences with pretend play in early education settings, using a novel technique Playful Participatory Research (PPR). Data were analysed using inductive interpretive thematic analysis and dramaturgical coding. Educators described positioning themselves along a continuum from child-led to adult-guided approaches influenced by environmental affordances. While many reported high levels of confidence and knowledge in pretend play and also acknowledged the importance of pretend play, only a small proportion of daily educator activities involved pretend play, despite educators wanting to do more. This study advances understanding of educator perspectives on pretend play pedagogy, revealing complex factors that shape practice. Findings from this study could inform how pretend play programs can be integrated into existing early education settings, as well as professional learning experiences to support child-led high quality pretend play.