Paracosms and the Development of Fantasy in Childhood

The paper studies the development of fantasy in “normal” children. It is concerned with content and structure, rather than process. The writers sought to delineate the development of various types of imaginary activity during three successive age-periods, viz. 3–6 years, 7–12 and 13–18. For this, they have drawn evidence from sources of three kinds. One uncommon sort of imaginative activity was selected for intensive study. This is the “paracosm,” i.e., the spontaneous, but maintained and elaborated “private world.” Sixty-four examples of this were collected, and were analysed with reference, in each case, to the circumstances and personality of the subject.