The Importance of Imaginative Play
A child’s most important job in the first few years is to play and learn! From the moment a baby is born they are taking in their environments and learning! Babies learn from the words and expressions of their parents, the nature that they can see, the books that are read to them, the songs that are sung to them, and the toys and activities available to them.
During the first five years of a child’s life 90% of their brain is developed, which means these are crucial years for growth socially, emotionally, creatively, and beyond. Imaginative play, also known as pretend play, is a powerful way for young children to exercise their creativity through story-telling and make believe, which builds social and emotional skills.
Imaginative Play by Age
- 6 to 12 months- Babies imitate expressions and begin playing with objects/toys
- 12 to 18 months- Toddlers play with larger objects/toys and begin to use them properly (ex. Pretending drinking from a cup, giving a babydoll a bottle, pushing a toy car around)
- 18 months to 2 years- Toddlers play mimic functional uses of objects and toys (ex. Uses a toothbrush to brush their teeth or a toy broom to sweep the floor), begins to interact with multiple toys to create connections, play alongside other children, and can recognize and retrieve different objects/toys to play with.
- 3 to 5 years- Children use imagination to develop stories and scenes. They can tell complex stories, imagine objects, and play out scenarios (ex. Doctor’s office, grocery store, school, or household roles)
Benefits of Imaginative or Pretend Play
- Boosts creativity by allowing children to imagine scenarios without structure or limits. Children can imagine stories and exercise problem-solving skills. Example: Children may imagine that they are princes and princesses with dress-up clothes and an invisible castle. They may pretend to work together to take down an imaginary dragon.
- Enhances emotional skills including expressing empathy and practicing emotional regulation. Children can express different emotions and practice emotional regulation. Example: Children may rock a “crying” babydoll or comfort an imaginary friend who is sad.
- Supports social skills and language development through story-telling and social connection with peers. Toddlers begin to piece words together and over time those words become sentences with more complex details (characters, scenarios, settings, dialogue, etc.). Example: Children may play out a super hero scene with a new friend at the park. Each child can play out different roles and together they will save the city.
Imaginative play helps to build confidence, independence, and critical thinking skills. Play looks different for each child and each child will develop at their own pace. Whether they have many toys or few toys and an active imagination, parents can support play by joining in, encouraging children to play, balancing screen time and building in time to play each day, and by spending time outside allowing children to explore the environment around them. Play is powerful!
