This may sound like an odd topic, but the truth is pretending play is one of the best parts of childhood and children have fertile and amazing imaginations. Many believe that children spontaneously develop their imaginations and while this may be true for many, the truth is—you can help them to build this skill and talent. How do you help them? Here are a few ways that I have seen other parents as well as myself do in order to help them develop their talent for pretend.
Obstacle Course
Toddlers love to climb. They love to explore. So take a bunch of pillows and blankets and set up an obstacle course so they can climb over and under. If you have something you can make a tunnel or tent out of, this is good too. When we did this, my daughter started crawling in there and hoarding her toys for a while. She really enjoyed that one.
Dress Up
They are never to young to play dress up whether it’s your sunglasses, an old hat or even an oversized shirt – toddlers enjoy playing with clothes whether it’s taking them off or putting them on. It’s really funny how all you have to do is dress them up once and point them at a mirror and zoom, they’re off and running. Hang onto those old clothes, shoes and jewelry and watch your little one go to town. Oh, and a piece of advice? This is a good time to keep that camera handy.
Playful Household Toys
Pick up some cheap plastic plates, cups and other so they can set up their own play table and meal table. These may or may not be useful right at first. My daughter used them more like boats for her little figures and dolls than she did as play eating, but as she got to 2 ½ she was playing with tea sets and meal sets and serving all of her stuffed animals.
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