What is Pretend play?
Pretend or imaginative play is a type of play where children experiment with different roles or use objects to represent something else while giving them action and motion.
It’s for example when your kids act like superheroes, play “doctors and patients”, play shopping, put on grown-up clothes, cook an imaginary meal, assign roles to their dolls and teddy bears, use any rounded object to play football, etc.
What are the benefits of Pretend Play?
Imaginative play is more than just fun games. It is indeed crucial for helping kids develop important life skills.
1- Develop creativity and curiosity: engaging in fantasy play allows your child to stimulate their imagination. As a result, it increases their creativity. Add some wooden blocks to their play environment, and you can spark that creativity further. Thus, making them happier and more likely to become healthy, confident adults.
2- Build social skills: through their interaction with others, children learn to take turns, share, and work together. They improve their social skills and become more connected, confident, and self-reliant. And when parents get involved, the give-and-take interactions help to strengthen bonds.
3- Develop language and communication: coming up with scenarios and narrating what’s happening means using more sophisticated words and ideas. This will enhance their vocabulary and language skills.
4- Support emotional development: while participating in group imaginary activities, kids learn how to recognize and respond to others feelings. Also, during role plays, your child may practice caring for others and showing empathy. For example, when they participate in doctor pretend play, they learn how to be kind, gentle, and help others.
5- Develop thinking, learning, and problem-solving skills: during role play activities, children are presented with problems and scenarios to solve or plan, from negotiating who gets to play what role to re-enacting real-life situations. It also teaches them how to adapt when something doesn’t go to plan in a game.
Check our full Pretend Play collection on hadiyati.com for all ages, and personality types. You will find amazing ideas that will entertain your child while developing their imagination and various skills.
