Misconception 1: Adults should plan and resource pretend play, often so that the 'play' meets learning goals or specific objectives. Such 'play' is not play, but is better understood as activities.

Misconception 2: Children need 'dressing-up' outfits such as a nurse's or firefighter's outfit in order to pretend, and specific resources in order to play. A few scarves are often enjoyed by children in their pretend play, but generally children will use their wonderful imaginations, or adapt something they've found. 

   Drawing on the 'Funds of knowledge' research (Moll et al., 1992), leaving it open to children to draw on their personal cultural knowledge and self-initiated pretend play can result in more meaningful and richer play than any planned and resourced by adults. It will also often include a focus on communicating about aspects of mathematics (Worthington, 2018; Worthington & van Oers, 2016).

* In England there is no requirement that adults should plan and resource pretend play.

References

Moll, L., Amanti, C., Neff,D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory into Practice 3(2), 132-141.  

Worthington, M. (2018). Funds of knowledge: Children’s cultural ways of knowing mathematics. In V. Kinnear, M-Y Lai & T. Muir (Eds.), Forging connections in early mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 239-258). Springer.

Worthington, M., & van Oers, B. (2016). Pretend play and the cultural foundations of mathematics.

European Early Childhood Education Research Journal 24(1), 51-66.