Chapter 2: Using Naturalistic Observation to Study Children’s Engagement Within Early Childhood Classrooms

As soon as Emma enters her preschool classroom, she heads straight for the dramatic play area where two of her other friends, Julia and Marcos, play restaurant. Each child takes on a unique role: Emma as baker, Marcos as chef, and Julia as waitress. The three peers spend about as much time negotiating which role to play and what each child should be handling as they do actually taking on their pretend characters. A nearby teacher notices the play scenario unfolding and asks if the children need any more materials; the teacher helps Julia, the waitress, acquire a pencil and paper to take down the customers’ orders.