Many adults think of pretend play in terms of the superheroes, dragons, and talking animals of fantasy, but it starts a lot simpler—and sooner—than that. Fantasy play involves imagining something your child has never seen or experienced, and typically begins around age 4. But long before then, you will likely see your child reenact their own lived experiences or imitate what they see you do. 

Pretend play supports virtually every aspect of your child’s development, including social, language, cognitive, and even motor skills. Whether they’re caring for their doll or putting on the cape of their favorite superhero, pretend play lets children feel important and powerful in a world that is big and sometimes overwhelming. 

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In this article:

• What is pretend play?
• When should my child start doing pretend play?
• What are the different types and stages of pretend play?
• Why is pretend play important in early childhood?
• How can I support my child’s pretend play?
• Dramatic & pretend play ideas for toddlers and preschoolers

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What is pretend play?

Pretend play is a broad category that includes many different kinds of representational play. As they grow, your child will likely imitate things they’ve experienced in real life, take on different roles, and act out imaginary scenarios. Pretend play is real evidence of your child’s growing cognitive skills, symbolic understanding, and imagination. 

When should my child start doing pretend play?

You may see your child first begin to engage in pretend play around 18 to 24 months. Perhaps they hold a block to their ear and pretend to use it as a phone, or “feed” a doll using a peg for a baby bottle. This is a form of symbolic play called object substitution, and it’s the earliest stage of pretend play.

Before pretend play, your child may engage in what experts call functional play. This typically happens around 13 to 18 months and involves imitating or repeating things your child has seen in real life, using playthings according to their intended purpose. Examples of functional play include pushing a toy car across the floor, using a toy phone as a real phone, and making a Bunny “hop” into the Felt Burrow. Functional play is a sign of your toddler’s growing memory—they can remember something they saw or something you did, and reenact it. Research suggests this type of play may serve as a foundation for the development of pretend play.

Pretend play is different from functional play. To pretend, your child must think symbolically, using objects or playthings to represent something entirely different—like a peg for a baby bottle. This represents a significant cognitive shift in your child’s development. They’re no longer simply imitating actions they’ve seen you do or using an object for its intended purpose. They’ve entered a new stage of symbolic play.

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What are the different types and stages of pretend play?

As your child’s cognitive and language skills grow, they’ll begin to explore different types of pretend play. These don’t necessarily develop in a progression of stages. Instead, think of them as variations of pretend play that call on different skills.

Symbolic play (starts around 18 to 24 months)

In this type of pretend play, your child may use one object to symbolically represent another, also called object substitution. They may pretend to use a banana as a phone, or slurp imaginary soup from a stick they’re pretending is a spoon. 

At first, your child’s symbolic play scenarios will be simple—just one or two steps focused on a single plaything—and will most often reenact their own lived experiences. When your toddler puts their baby doll to bed, gives it a bath, or brushes its hair, that shows that they remember a sequence of events in a bedtime routine. When they use a spoon to pretend they’re mixing ingredients for pancakes, your toddler is demonstrating that they know how things work. They can use objects the right way while pretending to complete a task.  

Lovevery child development expert Sarah Piel, MSEd, explains what early symbolic play might look like—and how to encourage it—in this video from the Lovevery app:

Dramatic play (starts around 2.5 to 3 years)

Dramatic play is the type of pretend play you might remember from your own childhood, where children act out different play scenarios. At first, this type of pretend play focuses on events your child has experienced in real life. They may reenact these scenarios with dolls, figures, or stuffed animals. For example, your child might act out “going to Grandma’s house” with their favorite stuffed animals, each animal representing a family member. As they grow, your child will start to use their imagination, working memory, and social skills to create more complex situations to act out.

Role play (starts around 3 years)

Around 3 years of age, your child’s pretend play may involve taking on roles that are familiar to them—Mama, Daddy, or even a character from a favorite show. You may see them pretend to be an animal, or gather props for a play scenario they have in mind— a block may represent a phone, or a doll might represent you ❤️ Children this age like to try out roles that let them experiment with a feeling of power or importance, like a king, teacher, or firefighter.

By age 4, you may see your child give dolls, figures, or stuffed animals characters to play instead of taking on a particular role themselves. When they play “put the baby to sleep” with a doll or stuffed animal, they may give the doll a voice and personality as the character in their play. 

Imaginary objects (starts around 3 to 4 years)

As your child approaches their preschool years, they may begin to include another feature in their pretend play repertoire—imaginary objects. While their earlier pretend play may have involved props like toy dishes or tools, now your child may have the ability to create a pretend scenario that is completely imaginary. You may see them drink from an invisible cup or stir an invisible pot of soup.

Pretend play with others (starts around 3 to 4 years)

Your child may begin to join with peers in their dramatic play scenes as early as 3 to 4 years of age, though this may not be cooperative play at first. As they practice pretend play with other children, they explore concepts like rules, roles, and how to keep the play going even when challenges come up.

Fantasy play (starts around 4 years)

Around 4 years of age, your child’s pretend play may expand into the complex and imaginative world of fantasy play. During this stage, your child may act out not only what  they have lived and seen, but also animals, people, and places they have not yet experienced. 

Fantasy play scenarios may involve situations that are completely created within your child’s imagination, with little or no reflection of reality. For example, your child may pretend to be an alien on a distant planet or a mermaid living under the sea. This type of pretend play reflects your child’s growing understanding of abstract ideas. It also demonstrates their ability to draw upon prior knowledge. They haven’t actually seen a distant planet, but perhaps you read them a book about it. They’ve never taken a ride on a shark or a unicorn, but they may have watched a show that referenced those animals.

Imaginary friends (starts around 4 to 5 years)

The preschool years are a time when many children invent an imaginary friend. Not all children engage in this type of play, but research suggests that one- to two-thirds of children have an imaginary friend at some point during childhood. Some play with this imaginary friend for months or even years. This is healthy example of active, elaborate pretend play.

Why is pretend play important in early childhood?

Pretend play supports the development of a variety of skills, including social skills, problem solving, and language development. These are just a few of the ways your child benefits from exploring different types of pretend play:

Understanding other people’s feelings: Research suggests that pretend play is associated with a greater ability to understand other people’s feelings and perspectives. To play along with a pretend scenario, your child must understand that one object or action represents something else—like a block representing a phone. This ability to imagine how one thing can represent another also helps your child imagine what another person is experiencing or feeling.  

Social skills: As preschool-age children listen to one another and negotiate the “rules” of a pretend play scenario, they learn about how others think and feel. By playing “house” or “grocery store,” they begin to collaborate with others and learn how to negotiate and take turns.

Problem-solving practice: Pretend play, especially with peers, means coming up with rules, establishing roles, and working toward goals. For example, when your child and their friends play superheroes, they need to agree on who plays each role, and what’s considered “acceptable” superhero behavior: Can the hero have a gadget? A cape? What superpowers do they have? All these decisions involve problem-solving, both individually and as a group. 

Not surprisingly, research has shown a link between pretend play and children’s problem-solving skills. Pretend play encourages children to “think outside the box,” which experts call divergent thinking, and use language in innovative ways, which is known as semantic problem solving. 

In fact, research suggests pretend play and problem solving may have a reciprocal effect. As children’s problem-solving skills are put to work through pretend play, pretend play may also give their problem-solving skills a boost, making them more creative, out-of-the-box thinkers.

Language skills: Your child may learn new words from play partners or from you while engaging in pretend play. Parents playing pretend tend to do more conversational turn-taking, make more sound effects, and ask more question—all of which stimulate language development.

On a deeper level, your child’s ability to participate in pretend play indicates their brain can grasp symbolic representation, or that one object can represent another. This same symbolic understanding is part of how your child learns language:  Letters are symbols representing sounds, and words are symbols used to represent objects or concepts. 

While the link between pretend play and language development is complex, research indicates they are clearly related. Your child’s ability to play pretend may develop alongside their language skills, or one may influence the other. Either way, supporting pretend play is an effective and fun way to encourage your child’s language development.  

Emotional processing: Pretend play may help your child process both positive and challenging emotional experiences. When they’re acting out a particular scenario, children have an opportunity to break down an experience, make their own rules, and try out alternative endings. Research on pretend play shows that children often use it as a way to play out themes about aggression, illness, or accidents. This gives them  the opportunity to feel powerful in a world where they have little control and sometimes feel overwhelmed. Pretending to be an important figure in their life can be incredibly empowering for your child—taking the role of caregiver and bandaging up a stuffed bunny feels pretty cathartic after getting a skinned knee.

How can I support my child’s pretend play?

Many children enjoy pretend play and engage with it naturally. But because it’s such an important part of your child’s development, encouraging and supporting this kind of play is helpful. Here are some ways to do it. 

Model pretend play

The more you show your toddler what pretend play looks like, the more they may want to try it out themselves—pretending is fun, after all 🙂 Try putting a small blanket over your child’s doll, giving it a kiss, and saying “goodnight, baby!” Research shows that toddlers may engage in more pretend play when their parents play along. You can model playing pretend by doing activities like: 

• Brushing a doll’s teeth 
• Setting up a tea party for dolls or stuffed animals 
• Making a toy airplane fly

Your toddler may follow your lead and explore pretend play scenarios of their own.

Narrate to encourage play

Validate and encourage what your child is doing when they play pretend. If you see your toddler hug their baby, you can say, “You’re giving your baby such a nice hug!” If you notice them stirring pretend soup in a bowl, try saying, “Yum, that soup looks delicious. May I taste some?” Narrating your child’s pretend play helps helps it feel real to them, and may keep them engaged for longer. 

Let them lead

Try to watch and react, rather than directing your child’s pretend play. It’s hard to resist getting in on the fun, but your input may distract them or interrupt their storyline. 

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Provide props or dress up clothes

Offer your child objects that support their developing interest in pretending and imitating. If your child has a favorite doll or stuffie, you can give them a play stroller, brush, comb, and blanket to help them nurture their little friend. Measuring cups, bowls, plates, and spoons are all tools your child sees often and likely knows how to use. Encourage your child to bring realism and detail to their pretend play with old Halloween costumes, discarded clothing or hats. Dressing up like a character from a book or one created in their imagination can make pretend play all the more fun.

Dramatic & pretend play ideas for toddlers and preschoolers

Once your child starts exploring dramatic and pretend play, the possibilities for engaging scenarios are almost endless. You can support this phase of development by offering props, ideas for themes, and unstructured play time to explore their ideas.

Tea party

Tea parties are a classic dramatic play activity for toddlers and preschoolers because they involve a simple, familiar activity—eating and drinking. You can use a toy tea set like the Pinkies Up Picnic Set or any collection of cups and plates you have around the house. Children often enjoy pretending to have tea with their stuffed animal friends, dolls, or any toy figures they particularly love. Once your child is ready for playdates with peers, a tea party is a fun activity that also promotes social skills.

Mailbox

If your child has discovered the mailbox and the joy of getting “snail mail,” they may be delighted by a pretend play mailbox.. You can make one together, using a simple shoebox or other container. Designate a “mailbox” for any member of the family—parents, siblings, the family pet, or even your child’s favorite stuffed animal. You may need to help your toddler by offering leftover envelopes or cards they can deliver. An older preschooler may be ready to create their own drawings or cards fortheir family and friends’ mailboxes. Offer art supplies like the Anywhere Art Kit to draw or write special creations to “mail” to their loved ones. 

Kitchen

Playing pretend kitchen is another one of those classic dramatic play ideas you may remember from your own childhood. If your toddler or preschooler sees you cooking, they’ll likely want to try it themselves. You don’t have to invest in a fancy play kitchen set—your child can pretend to cook using play utensils or utensils from your own kitchen. Play together to act out the entire process of cooking, serving and eating a meal: Pretend to stir, serve some soup into a bowl, blow on it, and slurp it up from a bowl. Take your time and ask your child lots of questions to make them feel in control—“What are we having for dinner? Are you making soup?” All the while, give lots of smiles and laughs to help them understand that you are playing pretend and constructing a shared world together. This helps your toddler, who may just be beginning to understand the world of pretend, make the distinction between real life and make-believe.

Play houses or structures

A simple cardboard box can inspire all kinds of  pretend play ideas. Almost any size box can work, but large boxes your child can climb into are particularly useful for pretend play. With help from your child’s imagination, a big box can become a fort, house, school, restaurant, or even a doctor’s office. A large box to climb into will provide many opportunities to explore and learn, especially if your toddler is exploring the enclosing schema in play. You can spark their imagination by offering props like the Really Real Flashlight, blankets to drape over the box, and  art supplies to decorate it. 

RELATED: This everyday item is a powerhouse for pretend play

Doctor’s office

An easy way to spark this classic pretend play scenario is read a book about the doctor’s office, such as Bea Gets a Checkup. Encourage your child to act out the different aspects of a checkup with you—or their stuffed animals—as their “patients.” Then you can offer to reverse roles, with you playing the role of doctor while they’re the patient. As your child acts out their pretend doctor’s office scene, they may add new words to their vocabulary, like labels for body parts or medical supplies like bandages or thermometers. Some research suggests that this kind of play may even help ease anxiety about doctor’s visits in real life.