Imaginative play (also known as pretend play or role-play) is any kind of play that allows a child to explore the world from the perspective of others. Whether it is dressing-up as a doctor and wrapping dolls in bandages, riding the broom around the kitchen noisily shooting baddies, or simply sitting quietly and imagining a story of their own, children playing imaginatively are attempting to understand how life feels for someone else. When two or more children are involved, the value of role-play grows even more as they learn to co-operate with each other in their shared imaginary world.
What are the benefits of imaginative play?
Imaginative play often centres around themes of good and bad (which explains why superhero play is so popular with young children). Children who engage in plenty of imaginative games and role-play scenarios can often find themselves working through moral dilemmas (should we kill the dragon or just put out his flames? What will happen if we leave the pirates alone on the island?) and are more likely to have a healthy understanding of what is good or bad, kind or unkind, as a result.
They are also more likely to be able to be flexible and negotiate successfully with their peers, since imaginative play aids in the development of empathy and emotional understanding. During this type of play, children are able to experiment with, and act out, a range of potential solutions to problems, thus helping them to discover alternative approaches in the safety of their imaginations.
Language and communication skills are also supported and developed. As children immerse themselves in their chosen character you’ll often hear them narrating as they go, adding and consolidating new words and ways of communicating to their growing repertoire.
Children also learn to be creative with their available resources. A scarf becomes a wedding dress, a table becomes a cave, the sofa a sailing ship. Being able to re-purpose everyday items for their games lays foundations for creativity and inventiveness later on in life.
Another aspect of superhero play is that children get a chance to play the role of someone much more powerful than they are in their everyday lives. They get to ‘be the boss’, which can be particularly beneficial when playing with children older than them, as it turns the usual power dynamic upside- down.
The Best Toys for Imaginative Play
