The Power of Pretend Play (& How You Can Encourage It)

The act of playing is a huge part of growing up. I used to spend hours as a child building cities with my parents’ Tupperware containers, hosting tea parties for my closest friends (aka my stuffed animals), and journeying into space on my "rocket ship" (better known as my bed).

As a child, I knew using my imagination was fun; as a parent and children's educator today, I know it’s so much more than that. Those hours spent playing and dreaming were significant in my growth, including cognitive skill development and language progression. I also learned that there is an important distinction between two types of play: pretend and manipulative.

Pretend play refers to playing with a toy or item that symbolizes something real, like when a doll represents a baby or a wooden block represents a car. However, manipulative play refers to making an object do something by acting on it, like hammering on a peg board or pressing the keys on a toy piano.

While both types are essential for children of all ages, studies on language development in toddlers have found that pretend play is more beneficial than manipulative because there tends to be more talking when children are pretending. Here's an example:

In manipulative play, a conversation might go like this: “Can you pound the red peg? Good job! Now, how about the blue peg?”

In pretend play, a conversation can be more varied, such as: “Let’s have a tea party! Who should we invite? What do you think we should serve? Can you pass the cookies? What do you think teddy would like?”

Research shows that the more language a child hears — especially if it’s something they’re interested in — the child will be more inclined to learn the language faster. This is just one of the reasons why I love teaching baby sign language; it teaches you that when babies sign, parents naturally respond with more speaking.

Here are three ways you can encourage more pretend play with your child:

1) Create A Prop Box 

Contrary to popular belief, prop boxes aren’t just for those in theatre. Filling a box with items like recycled fabrics, cardboard boxes and tubes, old clothes, coins, paper and crayons gives your child the tools to be creative and tap into their imagination.

2) Reduce The Number Of Toys

Rather than giving your child access to every toy they own during playtime, limit their toys to a handful. This will encourage your child to use toys in more than one way, which also teaches them the concept of symbols in life.

3) Let Your Child Lead

When your child gets stuck on words or lacks inspiration during playtime, it might feel necessary to jump in and offer direction ― but don’t! This is an important opportunity for your child to figure out what works best for them. If they ask for help, offer support but encourage them to work through it with you. This is also a great teaching moment for them to learn how to cooperate, articulate and regulate.

If your child struggles with inspiration some days, try writing down all sorts of adventures, scenarios and locations on separate pieces of paper and place them in a jar. Then, when your child needs a little extra help, pull an activity from the jar and use that as a starting point. Who knows where it will lead you!

For more ideas on how to support your child during these key years of growth and development, join my private Facebook group here. If you're ready to become a play partner with your child, check out my foundational course, Building Better Connections.