ABSTRACT

Dramatic play is recognised as an important source of learning and development for preschoolchildren, yet there are increasing reports that the quality of dramatic play is declining. This paper aimsto report on the findings of a mixed method study that examined the constructs of Australianpreschool children’s dramatic play behaviour. Video observations and the Smilansky Scale for theEvaluation of Dramatic and Socio-Dramatic Play (Smilanksy & Shefatya, 1990) were used with 101preschool children aged 4 to 6 years in selected early childhood educational settings in Melbourne,Australia. Findings reveal that the overall level of children’s dramatic play behaviour was low. Atypology of four play styles will be presented. Implications on educators’ pedagogy are discussed.

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