Pretend Play and Early Language Development—Relationships and Impacts: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Abstract

This article reviews pretend play and its impact on and association with children’s language. Studies have shown the significant relationship between the two domains; however, more intervention research needs conducting to validate the causal impact of pretend play. Nevertheless, several studies exploring its effects on early language reported that pretend play is connected with children’s semantic diversity and semantic organization development; their level of using syntax and combining words in a creative way to fulfill the needs of fantasy as well. During pretend play, children practice and show advanced competence of using certain speech acts being appropriate with different contexts.