Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
“Engaging in fantasy play could benefit creative thinking in children suggests a study presented today at the British Psychological Society’s Developmental Psychology Section annual conference. Lead researcher Dr Louise Bunce of Oxford Brookes University said: “A growing body of research is investigating the influence of children engaging in fantasy on their development. We wanted to test whether children who engage in fantasy play are more creative. This is because, theoretically, playing in make-believe worlds requires imagination to conceive of the world differently to its current reality, which is also necessary to think creatively.” Dr Bunce and her team interviewed 70 children aged 4-8 years old to assess the extent to which their fantasy play involved.”(more)