Does Pretend Play Predict Later Creativity Development? Exploring Creative Trajectories from Pre-Kindergarten Through First Grade

Creativity is widely recognized as a core skill for the twenty-first century, yet its early developmental pathways remain insufficiently understood. This longitudinal study examined trajectories of creativity in a sample of 230 children aged 4–7, assessed across five waves from pre-kindergarten to first grade. Using group-based trajectory modeling, we identified three distinct patterns: “Accelerated Growth” (22.3%), “Gradual Growth” (72.6%), and “Early Peak and Recovery” (5.1%). Higher quality of fantasy during pretend play quality predicted membership in the Accelerated Growth pattern (OR = 4.91), while higher receptive language predicted Early Peak and Recovery (OR = 1.17). Demographic factors such as gender and school-level socioeconomic vulnerability were not significant predictors. Trajectory membership was associated with developmental outcomes: children in higher-growth groups demonstrated superior expressive and receptive language skills, as well as higher divergent thinking scores, by the first semester of 1st grade. Socioemotional differences were limited, with fewer peer problems observed in the Accelerated Growth group. Findings underscore the importance of promoting high-quality fantasy play and language development in early childhood education. Limitations include small subgroup sizes and reliance on visual-narrative creativity measures. Future research should incorporate multidimensional assessments and explore diverse populations to advance the understanding of creativity development.