ABSTRACT
As children develop socially they deal more frequently and with greater sophistication with those who make up their social world. They form relationships with adults beyond their immediate family and play with other children. It is possible that peer relationships play an even more important role today than in the past. The increasing number of working mothers and one-parent families has resulted in earlier entry of young children into organised peer group settings such as day-care centres and nursery schools. Play is one of those 'taken-for-granted' words which adults freely apply to children's activities, without really thinking what constitutes play. In fact, play is many things and it is a matter of contention whether certain behaviours constitute play. Creative play is primarily pretend or fantasy play, in which a stick becomes a gun and a blanket a house. The imaginary use of inanimate objects can extend to having an imaginary companion who accompanies the child at mealtimes.
