6 Reasons Why Pretend Play Is Important

Why is pretend play important?

1. Develops imagination
2. Self-discovery
3. Communication skills
4. Learning about emotions
5. Social skills
6. Develops physical skills
   

The learning process of children is an important part of their growth, and as parents, it’s our responsibility to learn about this as much as we can. Before they even set foot in any school, their learning starts at home, and the main way they do this is through all interactions with their parents. Playing is a learning experience as much as it is a fun activity.

The reasons why pretend play is important prove that even a single type of play affects the many aspects of your child’s development. If you want to learn more about the benefits of pretend play for your child, keep reading!

Develops imagination

The first thing that gets developed through pretend play is their imagination. As your children engage in pretend play, they imagine that they’re somewhere else, or in a situation that is not the same as what’s happening in reality. They learn to tap into their creative side and separate the real world from the world of their imagination.

Through pretend play, they learn to apply their imagination to solve problems. What imaginary tools do they need to fix the imaginary car? What ingredients should they conjure up to make the meal that they’re cooking? This part of development helps them gain skills that will help them throughout their lives.

Self-discovery

Pretend play is also the first way that children discover themselves. They start learning about what they can do, about what they like and what they don’t like, and other parts of themselves. As they experiment with different roles and situations, they expand their experiences even if it’s just in their imagination. They could learn that they find cooking interesting or boring, or that they prefer dolls over toy cars. These simple things start to build upon your kid’s sense of self, which should be encouraged from early on. Of course, their self-esteem will also be built as they gain confidence in themselves!

Communication skills

Pretend play often involves other people like playmates, parents, or other trusted adults. Because this type of play is an exploration, it involves learning about things that they haven’t encountered yet. If your children like to play with other kids, you’d be surprised about how much they learn new words and concepts from pretend play. They learn about the names of things that they see for the first time, or describing words about feelings or events. Because of this, they become better at communicating what they want or what they feel.

For example, kids could play doctor with their parents and they learn what “shots” and “medicine” are while also learning that the doctor is there to help.

Learning about emotions

In pretend play, your child takes on different roles in life. They start facing challenges (though imaginary) that may affect their emotions. While it’s normal for children to see the world with an egocentric view, playing pretend with others can also give them insights into the feelings of others. Not only is their emotional intelligence developed, but so is their empathy.

Developing emotional intelligence and empathy early in your child’s life helps them become emotionally mature faster later in their lives.

Social skills

Interacting with other “players” in pretend play is also simulating real-life social situations. They can cooperate to find solutions to problems, take responsibility, and take turns. In connection with their emotions, they also learn to pick up on social cues. How did their actions affect the emotions of the other person? Did their words make their playmates happy or sad? Through pretend play, the kids would learn how to behave in real-life social situations.

They also learn to walk in someone else’s shoes. They start to understand what it’s like to be someone else — often as mom or dad. As they take on other roles, they also learn to separate themselves from other people. With a clear distinction of their selves and others, they will be able to socialize better.

Develops physical skills

In addition to the other benefits, pretend play can also help with your child’s physical development. Playing pretend can become a physical activity. They could run around and chase people as a police officer, climb ladders as a firefighter, and their fine motor skills are also practiced when playing with toys such as kitchen sets.

As long as physical activity is involved, children will almost always benefit from it.

Key Takeaway

Knowing why pretend play is important encourages parents to engage in this type of play with their children. In doing so, they help their children grow to be better people and have good developmental years.

To make your pretend play more enjoyable, you can involve high-quality toys that help your kids’ imaginations. Here at Funtastic Stuff, we make first-rate and safe-to-use toys for kids of all ages, and we also help others as much as we can! Give your children the pretend play that would be helpful for them by checking out our shop!