The Oxford Handbook of the Development of Imagination

This comprehensive academic volume offers a thorough examination of how imagination develops across childhood, moving beyond traditional focus on fantasy to explore its crucial role in cognitive and emotional growth. The research presented demonstrates how children's imaginative capacities allow them to mentally transcend present circumstances, consider alternative realities, and engage in sophisticated future planning. This scholarly handbook brings together diverse perspectives on imaginative development, showing how this fundamental human capacity connects to children's evolving understanding of their actual world.

What distinguishes this work is its integration of previously fragmented research areas into a cohesive framework that reveals imagination's practical functions in daily life. The collection will particularly benefit developmental psychologists, education researchers, and graduate students seeking a research-informed foundation in this expanding field. By systematically exploring how imaginative thinking supports problem-solving, emotional regulation, and social understanding, this handbook establishes imagination as a core component of healthy development rather than mere childhood entertainment.