Media and the Make-Believe Worlds of Children

This groundbreaking cross-cultural study offers a rare window into how children across four different countries—the United States, Germany, Israel, and South Korea—use media to construct their private, invented worlds. By moving beyond simple cause-and-effect arguments, the research provides a nuanced look at the complex relationship between screen time and imaginative play, revealing media as a rich resource for children's creative processes rather than just a passive consumption.

What makes this work so compelling is its global perspective, which illuminates how cultural context shapes the way children integrate characters and narratives from television and film into their personal fantasies. It's an essential read for educators, parents, and media scholars seeking to understand the sophisticated, active role media plays in the inner lives of the young, ultimately reframing our conversation about children and digital culture.