According to Piaget, pretense play—characterized by more social interaction and fantasy play—is most common among children in which age group?

Piaget's framework suggests that pretense play, also known as symbolic play, emerges prominently during the period of cognitive development known as the preoperational stage, which typically spans from ages 2 to 7 years. However, it is within the later part of this stage, particularly between 4 to 7 years of age, that children exhibit significant growth in their ability to engage in and sustain imaginative play scenarios.

During this stage, children become more capable of abstract thinking, allowing them to create elaborate stories, take on different roles, and incorporate complex social interactions into their play. They also begin to understand that objects can represent other things, which is a foundational aspect of symbolic thought. Therefore, this age group is characterized by an increase in both social interaction and the fantastical elements of play, making them particularly adept at engaging in pretense play.

In contrast, younger children, while they do engage in imaginative play, may not yet have the same level of sophistication or social complexity in their interactions. Older children are more likely to transition to different types of play, which involve rule-based games and critical thinking, moving away from the imaginative play characteristics that define the 4 to 7-year age range.