Play is a full time job.
There are many kinds and stages of play that your child engages in to understand the world they live in. One such kind of play is imaginative play (others call it role play, dramatic play, symbolic play or pretend play).
Imaginative play is a powerful tool for your child and they start as early as 18 months. Remember the time your child copied how you talk on your phone or how you cook with pots and pans? Your child is already beginning to play pretend.
By 2 years old, your child may use a toy for something else like a block becomes soap (representational thinking), your child may play with dolls, or action figures as if they are real by feeding, bathing and making them sleep (symbolic thinking). They may also start “play acting” by pretending to put make up like Mommy or drive like Daddy.
Your child will show an even increasing complexity in representational and symbolic thinking between 2 to 3 years old and will be able to close the gap between what is real and what is imagined.
At 3, your child will play chef, builder, princess, doctor, model, superhero – whatever your child fancies to be. By age 4, your child may be capable of more elaborate make believe scenarios.
Allowing your child to play pretend benefits:
Social Skills
- understand and interpret the roles of adults
- learn to negotiate and compromise with others
- learn to socialise and cooperate
- respect the decisions of others
Communication and Language Skills
- build vocabulary and develop language skills by copying and practising words they heard from others
- promotes speaking and listening skills
- art of conversation with imaginary friends
Cognitive Skills
- recall mental pictures from past experiences
- improve cognitive skills while observing, discovering and carrying out deductive reasoning
- solve problems and draw conclusions
Motor Skills
- practice for fine motor skills when putting on costumes with buttons, laces and ribbons
- opportunity for gross motor during play and packing away of props
- develops visual discrimination and coordination
Do’s to foster Imaginative play
Welcome imagination and creativity
If you see your child starting to play pretend, allow it and nurture it by playing with your child.
Show interest with their play and help them by describing what they are doing. The words you use will add to their vocabulary.
You may also ask them about their play so they have an opportunity to communicate what they think and do during play.
Set play dates with your friends or co workers who have children similar to your child’s age.
Set an area or room for imaginative play
Look for a safe area in your house where your child can play pretend. The area does not have to be big but consider the following:
- Lighting – make sure the area is well-lit. You may consider setting up where there are lots of natural lighting.
- Ventilation – your child will be playing with costumes and props, ensure that there is enough ventilation in the room. Check if the room is warm enough during cold days and cool during warm summer days.
- Power point – as much as possible, do not set up near sockets. Power points near the area should always be turned off and covered with safety covers.
Bring in the props
There are many wonderful pretend toys in the market. It could be anything from dolls to blocks, from household toy sets to doctor play sets! Anything your child may want to be, they have it in stores.
Just be sure to look for the ones that are durable, toxic free and without small parts that may be swallowed or put in your child’s nose or ears.
Same goes with the costumes you may want to buy for your child. Make sure it is not too complicated for the age of your child (multiple knots or buttons may not be ideal for 2 year olds).
Be creative
You do not have to break your wallet to provide props for your child. Be creative and resourceful – anything in your home could easily be a prop.
You and your child can find:
» Boxes – cereal boxes, shoe boxes even big boxes of appliances
» Tissue rolls
» Plastic cups, bowls and spoons
» Your child’s old crib
» Old bed sheets
Your creativity is the limit. Just be sure that it is safe to play with.
Have an open mindset
Children do not have a gender bias. If you see your little boy playing with a doll, there should be no problem with it.
You may teach your child about the physical differences between a boy and a girl but I personally do not believe that there should be anything else that differs a boy from or a girl.
There is no such thing as a toy for a girl or a boy.
Boys should be allowed to play with kitchen play sets and dolls in the same way as girls should be allowed to play with cars and blocks.
Limiting them now is similar to limiting the kind of career they want for themselves in the future.
As loving parents, you would not want to do that, right?
Expose your child to different experiences
Role play ideas came from the different experiences your child had it can be a trip to the supermarket or a trip to the doctor’s office.
Take your children to new and interesting places like farms and zoos.
Let your child engage in imaginative play, after all, according to Albert Einstein, “the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”
Well, imagine that!
Special thanks to louisetucker15 for the main image.
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