The Benefits of Pretend Play for Kids

PLAY IS OUR BRAIN’S FAVORITE WAY OF LEARNING.

DIANE ACKERMAN

Pretend Play + Leprechauns

When my son was little, we would always set up a Leprechaun Trap in the hopes of capturing one for St. Patrick’s Day morning. But year after year, the Lebrechaun’s would escape leaving chocolates or us to enjoy. As a thank you to our friends, this year, I thought a little resting spot, equipped with books and gold would be fun change.

Use this as an invitation to play where kids can create a spot that they think a Leprechaun would like. I was thinking of adding some mugs for tea, and maybe some snacks. What would you child like to leave for the Leprechauns?

The importance of pretending

As a Gen-X, 80’s kid, I had the typical childhood spent alone most of the time. I was a latchkey kid and would spend hours on my own with only my imagination for friendship. I had tv shows that I watched but unlike today, programming was not 24/7. Once Three’s Company was over, that was it. I would snap off the tv, sans remote control! and wander. I played Little House on the Prairie in my backyard, pretending that I was a Laura Ingall’s building imaginary fires and cooking food on the hearth. I actually had a pretend summer camp that I attended all in my head. Life was both lonely and expansive. My mind was a cozy, safe and very exciting space for me. To this day, I am very comfortable alone, and though I am afraid social media is chipping away at my attention span, I still find myself able to sit and play with no distractions.

PRETEND PLAY DEVELOPS A CHILD’S IMAGINATION, PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS , CREATIVITY.

Pretend play is so beneficial for children’s creativity as it allows them to use their imagination, problem-solving skills, and social abilities in a fun and engaging way. Through pretend play, kids can explore different roles, experiment with new ideas, and learn how to navigate many social interactions. This helps them think outside the box, build confidence, and develop critical thinking skills. Ultimately, pretend play fosters creativity by encouraging kids to express themselves, think creatively, and develop a range of skills in a supportive and enjoyable environment.

invitation to play

If you can start giving kids the time and space to pretend and play, they will create that muscle memory for being alone and tapping into their creativity. Our imaginations are a treasure trove of creativity if we just can access it. If we swap quiet time for screen time, we can help our kids find what is already inside of them, their imagination. This may feel hard but by creating some invitations to play like cardboard, paint, glue and other materials, we can get kids started.