Let your child Pretend Play!

Does your child love pretending? While some parents might find limited educational value in pretend play, it actually provides a lot of opportunities for children to develop their problem solving, empathy, and creativity skills.

How does Pretend Play help children to learn?

· Gives them a safe place to make sense of what they’ve observed or any fears they might have. Through these role plays, children become more comfortable and prepared for life events such as a scary visit to the dentist or gaining a new sibling. See here for some of our doctor / dentist pretend toys (XYZ).

· Expands their verbal skills as they practice their vocabulary in their pretend play.

· Helps to develop empathy and social skills. Pretend play often involves skills like negotiation, taking turns, and considering others’ perspectives. After all, if you are pretending with a doll, then you need to imagine what that doll might do or feel.

· Applying knowledge in their pretend world. Consider children who play ‘grocery’ store. They categorize products in the store, use math concepts to determine prices and grocery bills, and practice their writing by making grocery signs.

How can I encourage Pretend Play?

· Participate and follow their lead! Prompt them with open-ended questions to stimulate creativity, such as “What happened next?”

· Give them space and time to play. Sometimes, props need to be left out to inspire their creativity.

· Provide toys and props / costumes for their play. Toys that resemble objects from the real world tend to be big hits with toddlers taking their first steps into role-play and make-believe. Kid versions of adult things, like keys, phones and shopping carts, are great first building blocks for pretend play, as are dolls, blocks, vehicles and dress-up clothes. See our pretend toy items here like XYZ!

· As your child’s make-believe play develops, they will start to use basic playthings that can be repurposed into other items. A cardboard box can be a rocket ship, a cradle or a city bus. A bath towel can be a cape, a blanket or the ocean. Let your child take the lead — you’ll be surprised at what they come up with