Based on a four-month experimental study of preschool children’s play with creative-construction
and social-fantasy toys, the author examines the inuence of
both types of toys on the play of preschool children. Her comparative analysis
considers the impact of transformative play on the development of imagination
during play activities and explores ways to support children’s playful initiatives.
She argues that, by transgressing play scenarios, children oen develop a more
playful attitude. Toys, imagination, and the setting are important factors in the
play children initiate, and transgressing the immediate play scenario aects each
of these factors. Key words: creative construction; social fantasy; negotiation in
play; transgression and childhood development