ON THE TRANSITION FROM PRETENCE PLAY TO REALITY - WHAT ARE THE RULES OF THE GAME

This study focuses on the hypothesized boundaries that separate preten ce play from reality by examining the 'transition' preschoolers make i n response to a see of planned interruptions of their pretence play. T he interruptions varied in the extent to which they violated an implic it set of pretence rules. Forty-five preschoolers, aged 3, 4 and 5 yea rs participated in two standardized play scenarios that were interrupt ed at four predetermined times. The results point to the nature of the interruption as the most important variable, and show that even young preschoolers can freely switch back and forth between pretence and re ality modes of thought and behaviour.