Why is Pretend Play Important for Your Child

Pretend play is a vital stepping stone in your child’s development. Pretend play is how your child learns about our adult world. It usually develops around 2 years of age and helps to build the following skills:

Imagination/creativity: children can be anyone and do anything in their pretend world.
Social skills: turn taking, negotiation, compromising and sharing with others.

Communication/language skills: Listening and talking with other people and developing an understanding of what is being communicated through our non verbal skills such as looking, smiling, nodding and waving.
Emotional development: Understanding and expressing feelings through the play.

What games can help improve pretend play skills?

Tea sets– taking turns, sharing cakes and cups
Doll houses– role play your daily routines such as bathing, dinner.
Shopping trolley and cash registers– practice shopping and taking turns at being shopkeeper
Dress ups– princess, dragons, robots, dinosaurs, policeman and nurses

Use the phone and call for a pizza or a doctor
Cubby houses– play house together