Imaginative Play & Small World

Children play make-believe because its fun, but did you know that imaginative play is also a vital component of early childhood development and should be encouraged?

Imaginative play, or make-believe as it is sometimes referred to, occurs when a child role-plays experiences of interest, such as playing ‘school’ with their toys. Children may engage in imaginative play alone or with others. There are several benefits that imaginative play contributes to a child’s development. It also gives parents a fun way to teach to their child positive behaviours, social skills such as conflict resolution and empathy, and communication skills. Parents can introduce situations to play to create “incidental learning” opportunities. For example, when showering their doll, the parent might ask the child questions (e.g. “what happens next?”), make comments (“the water is nice and warm”), and discuss dilemmas (“Oh no, Dolly ran out of soap!”). These teach the child critical functional skills and the ability to work through tricky situations with guidance.

Make space for imaginative play for your child with kitchen corners, baby care set ups, dress-ups and small world set ups at home. It's easy and so much fun.