Pretend Play & Imagination
A Parents’ Guide


Introduction

Pretend play is an important part of every child’s development. It allows them to make sense of the world around them and of course it is a great way for them to “try out” and practice the different roles and responsibilities they will have as adults.

Most children nowadays spend hours a day watching television, playing video games, computer activities, and taking organized classes to give them a head start for school. In a typical day of a child, there isn’t much time left for pretend play and many kids never gain the value of this amusing, healthy child’s play.

This guide will help parents understand the value pretend play adds to a child’s life and will advise parents how they can help their kids develop pretend play skills, and gain the many wonderful values of development skills that will last them a life time. Parents will learn how to encourage their child to pretend play and tap into their creative potential and also learn things about their kids they may not have otherwise known.

Advantages of Pretend Play

Pretend play allows a child to take on different grownup roles which helps him make sense of various views and behaviors associated with that role. It also enables a child to actively experiment with the social roles in life. The pretend play process helps children build many essential developmental skills essential to their well being, growth and happiness. These are carried with them throughout adulthood.

• Pretend play can help children work through various situations they find hard to understand, worry or frighten them. This leads to a more secure, happy child.

• Parents are able to get a good sense of what their kids are thinking and how they feel about certain situations when they watch their kids pretend play. You may find out something you didn’t know that scares your child, or learn how he really feels about a situation. This helps parents to be able to help their child should they see an area of insecurity or fear. It also enables them to set the record straight and provide information to their child to help him see things more clearly.

• Pretend play helps with your child’s self esteem because they get to be the grown up that makes the decisions and tells everyone what to do and what not to do. A child feels in control and is empowered by his role as a grown up during his pretend play.

• Pretend play brings about the practice of several social skills, such as language and communication, eye-hand coordination, and motor skills.

• While pretend playing a child will learn from his own mistakes without a sense of failure.

• When a child takes on different roles during pretend play he is able to see what it is like to be in another’s person’s shoes, enabling the moral developmental skill of empathy.

• Pretend play builds thinking skills and abstract thinking skills. During pretend play your child will be faced with problems to solve, causing him to use cognitive thinking skills that he will use throughout his life. Abstract thinking for example is when a child uses an object as a symbol for something else. This demonstrates a high level thinking skill.

• Pretend Play fuels a child’s imagination.


Introducing Pretend Play to your Child

Introducing pretend play to your child as early as possible has high rewards, and is one less task you have to be concerned with in toddlerhood. Toddlerhood is one of the toughest roads of parenting, and like many other areas, it is best to start this one early.

Whatever pretend tools you introduce, you will have to be involved with your child and introduce the idea to him simply by playing as well, alongside him, demonstrating different sounds, motions, ideas, voices, etc. Gradually pull back, the involvement when you see him start to interact and pretend on his own. As baby approaches toddlerhood and further on, advance the pretend play according to his age, by changing to more age suitable props, toys, and ideas.

Once the introduction is moving forward you will need to simply encourage pretend play and ensure your child’s time does not get over consumed with other activities. Alongside the flashcards, computer activities, television, extracurricular activities, and school, make sure you include pretend play.

Ways to Encourage Pretend Play

Many years back pretend play came naturally because there simply wasn’t much else to do. However these days there are many factors that cause parents to end up neglecting pretend play opportunities.

Parents, being attentive to the importance of education from a young age, tend to focus extra time with flash cards, educational videos, computer applications and activities, and reading books. Nowadays life is much busier and children don’t find that time on their own where they can just be, to play freely, without instruction or rules to follow.

If you give your child the means in which he can pretend play, he will naturally engage himself in it. Older children, who are not used to pretend play, may take a bit more time to be able to play without the interaction of another person; this is actually another good reason to begin this process early.

Make no mistake that make believe in a child’s world is highly important. Use these ideas to support your child’s pretend play and open up his mind to a world of imagination, empowerment, and skills that enhance emotional development.

Role Playing

Use everyday scenarios and role play with your child.

• Pretend to go the doctor. Maybe your child wants to be the doctor and you are the patient.

• Pretend to go the store. Maybe your child wants to be the grown up doing the shopping or wants to be the person that tends the cash register. Maybe they even chose to be a certain food at the grocery store.

• Switch roles and you be the child and let your child be the parent (this is a good one for parents to see how their kids see them and their behavior)

• Mommy’s Helper. When you are busy and want your child to keep himself busy for a while, ask him to be mommy’s little helper and go the store for you. Give him a pretend list of things to get for you. Then ask him to unpack the bags and put everything away in its proper place.

Action Figures, Dolls of all Sorts

Nowadays there are various type dolls and action figures. Fairy’s, baby dolls that do all sort of different baby type actions, character dolls (Superman, Spiderman, Bratz, Hannah Montana), dolls you can put makeup on and do their hair, are to name a few.

These type toys enable your child to take on a role and play out different scenarios. This really fuels the imagination and enables your child to go somewhere else without ever leaving the house. Keep a box or crate of action dolls where your child can easily access them. Introduce these action figures to your child by playing along with him showing him that they don’t just sit there in the box, but can come to life if he wishes them to. Make them talk in funny voices, and fly and jump.

Dress Up / Costumes

A child can turn himself into almost anything he wants using costumes. He can even end up making his own costume out of old clothes of mom and dad. Dad’s old shirt can be turned into a doctor’s coat. Moms old night gown can be turned into a princess costume or a hat. Parents can use old Halloween costumes and turn them into something a little different that your child can pretend to be.

Obstacle Course
Use pillows, blankets, old tents to make tunnels and build an obstacle course for climbing. This is a great way to get your kids using their other favorite toys to fuel their imagination, while getting some exercise as well. It is also a good assistance for parents needing to keep their kids busy for a while.

Veterinarian
Use soft animal toys, an old pen for a thermometer, headphones for a stethoscope (tape a piece of cardboard, or plastic bottle cap to the jack), and dad’s old shirt for a doctors coat. This is also an opportunity to teach your child a new grown up word and for them to learn that there are different types of doctors.

Let’s Go Shopping
Rotate roles as shopper and store assistant. Use a basket, empty cereal boxes and other foods boxes, dry beans and pasta for store goods. Make your own paper money and coins out of cardboard. If you have a toddler or preschooler they will be happy to help you color the money and coins.

Time to Make Dinner
Use kitchen utensils, rice, dry beans and pasta. Use plastic toy fruits and vegetables and empty food boxes. Promote pretend play by asking your child to help you in the kitchen at meal time and prepare a few dishes for you. Take those dishes to the table along with your meal and let the rest of the family in on the fun of eating dishes from the new chef.


Gain Parental Benefits

Believe it or not even parents gain value when they incorporate pretend play into their child’s life.

• Gain parental and personal satisfaction, self esteem and a sense of accomplishment as you watch your child develop a series of important benefits to his development.

• Pretend play supports independent play – another valuable tool for your child to learn, and also offers benefits to parents. Through pretend play, a child is better able to play independently, giving mom and dad a chance to do other things, or a chance to do things without the fifty million interruptions. Many parents say they were finally able to complete a conversation with their spouse when their child learned to play independently.

• The joy of being a parent will have you halting your tasks as you stop to watch your child in his glory of pretend play. Precious and hilarious facial expressions, body language, funny voices and sounds your child is likely to make during his play time, will have you in stitches laughing and grinning from ear to ear. Plenty of funny stories to tell friends and family, and I strongly suggest you keep your camera close at hand.Taking Good Childhood Photos

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• A great relationship builder for parents. A new hobby awaits mom and dad, adding value to their relationship by spending time together learning how to take great pictures and then finding sneaky ways to get the shot without disturbing your child in his moment of glory. It is suggested by professionals that couples engage in spending time together by learning something new together or share in a hobby, in order to strengthen their relationship and get to know each other again, especially after having kids.
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Pretend Play and Imagination

Pretend play fuels the imagination and children love imaginative play. It’s easy to figure out why – they get to be anything or anyone they want. They get to run the show, make all the decisions and be the boss. When a child is using his imagination he feels happy and independent. Children have the capacity to not only learn from what they are but also from what they want to be, and it’s up to mom and dad or caretakers to encourage this talent, by encouraging imaginative play.

Nurture the Imagination

Here are some ways parents can encourage imaginative play in the home.

• A dress up corner with old clothes, shoes, backpacks, hats, costume jewelry, purses, accessories.

• Old telephones, phone books, magazines, newspapers.

• Cooking utensils, dishes, plastic food containers, table napkins.

• Stuffed animals and dolls of all sizes

• Fabric pieces, blankets, or old sheets for making costumes or a fort

• Theme-appropriate materials such as postcards, used plane tickets, foreign coins, and photos for a pretend vacation trip.

• Writing material for taking phone messages, leaving notes, and making shopping list.

• Musical instruments of different sorts

• If you see your child daydreaming do not interrupt him.

• If your child wants your involvement in his imaginative world join in and have a little child’s play of your own – just be sure to let your child take the lead and you simply follow along.

• Put on a play with your child of his favorite book.

• Make up songs together.

• An art box with crayons, markers, glue, construction paper, water colors.

• Finger painting or brush painting. While your child is painting, ask them questions about their work. What is it? Who is it? What does it eat? Why did you choose that color?

Children require imagination for healthy growth, learning and coping. A child’s imagination should never be stifled and his creativity should always be nurtured and fostered. From the age of two and up is crucial for imagination and pretend play, but it is extremely beneficial to parents and child if the procedure and introductions to pretend play and imaginative play are tackled early, starting from one to one and a half years old.