The Magic of Make- Believe

The Magic of Make-believe
EECERA accepted 05.04.2022

This study follows a co-creative dramaprocess involving artists, pedagogues and children in in a Danish kindergarten. The aim of the project was to strengthen the children's social interactions and empathy through make-belive play. This study examines the extent to which these potentials were realized.

Relationship to previous research works
The relation between make-belive play and drama and the learning potentials of both has been examined in recent Scandinavian dramapedagogical research (Lindquist, 2010; Sæbø, 2020; Sørensen 2019)

Theoretical and conceptual framework
The theoretical framework is sociocultural playtheory (Vygotsky, 1978), dramatheory (Bolton, 2008) and theories of aesthetics and learning (Austring & Sørensen 2019).

Paradigm and Methodology and Methods
The study is conducted as appreciative inquiry and involved experimental practices, participatory observations and qualitative interviews with children, artist and pedagogues.

Ethical considerations
The study is carried out with consents from parents, artist and pedagogues, and required the researcher to be a co-creative participant focusing on positive potentials.

Main findings or discussion
The findings show that the dramaprocess had potentials to engage the children in joyful play situations where the children’s social competencies were supported. Moreover, the dramaprocess involved a row of immanent learning potentials and play situations where the children became familiar with the language of make-believe. However, these potentials were found to be dependent on skilled facilitation by the involved artist and pedagogues.

Implications, practice and policy
The findings lead to recommendations for using make-belive play and drama as pedagogical tools in kindergarten. As skilled professionals were found important for the quality of, the playful drama processes this study points to the need to implement drama in the education for pedagogues.