Imaginative play is vital for children’s growth. In imaginative play children develop descriptive language, creativity, problem solving, independence and social/emotional skills. Children should enjoy this process without rules or judgement because when allowed to use their imagination children learn to express themselves and build positive relationships.
When children do a “pretend” play, they seek roles they are familiar with like, mom and dad, or doctors and firefighters. Through these roles, children learn connections, empathy and show how they interpret what it means to be in someone else’s shoes. During this type of play children are more open to sharing and expressing their feelings because they start to comprehend that other people have a variety of emotions and that feelings can be shared and understood.
The language development benefits significantly from imaginative play. When children role play, they become more detailed and descriptive and start narrating their own script. With support from parents by the means of open ended questions children’s vocabulary will even further blossom. There is an endless potential for language development if done correctly.
Imaginative play also allows children to explore new ideas and take new risks, leading to confidence and independence. Children will take what they have learned and utilize those experiences as tools to handle future situations. This is their way to connect their fantasy world with the real world.
Does your child get stressed? Imaginative play is a great way to reduce your child’s stress. This type of play carries children away from the stressor; they are distracted enough to either play out a solution or move on from it quickly. Children learn to calm themselves and later can discuss their feelings with parents. They also learn to develop problem solving skills to address a conflict with others or an internal conflict.
Parents are highly encouraged to support imaginative play at home. You may be surprised at how much your child knows about things, and you may also want to observe them play to see if there are any areas of concern that you need to support. It is also fun to live in the children’s world for a while and you never know, it may relieve some of your own stresses.