Can symbolic play improve school readiness? Impact of sandplay expression workshops on the development of preschoolers.

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This empirical study evaluates a prevention program which was developed as a result of a community action to Improve preschoolers’ development In the Bas St-Laurent region (Quebec, Canada). The objective of the study was to verify the impact of a symbolic sand play intervention on the affective, cognitive and linguistic development of preschoolers. Seventy six children participated in the study in groups which were allocated to the experimental and control groups. Paired t-test results show that the sandplay workshops had a positive effect on the children’s affective, social and cognitive development. These results suggest that sandplay workshops may contribute to Improve the development of preschoolers and their school readiness.