In general, I agree with you. As applied to our kids, specifically, it doesn't ring true. They are both excited by the same games: Spore, Club Penguin, Rock Ban

In general, I agree with you. As applied to our kids, specifically, it doesn't ring true. They are both excited by the same games: Spore, Club Penguin, Rock Band, Zelda, Pokemon. Some of which seem like 'playing house' (Club Penguin) and others 'escape/imaginative.' In their non-computer time, they play a game they've invented called "Creatures." I'm not sure what this game entails (it appears to have no real rules), but it seems partway between 'playing house' and 'escape/imaginative.' Judging by the general level of tidiness around here, nobody's really that into 'playing house.' ;-)