Pretend play ability in pre-school children

Children with specific language impairment (SLI) are confronted with limitations in their language abilities that cannot be attributed to cognition, hearing impairments, or neurological deficits. However, there is evidence that children with SLI also have impairments. These include, for example, an impaired ability to pretend play. The current article aims to present firstly normal development of play behavior in children, followed by the Child-Initiated Pretend Play Assessment (ChIPPA). This test enables an objective and standardized assessment of whether a child's ability to initiate and sustain pretend play is age-appropriate. SLI children with impaired play behavior should receive structured individual therapy.