"Pretend play changes so much as kids grow. When they're babies, barely able to sit up or walk, we hand them baby dolls and little push lawn mowers and tea sets. When they're toddlers, we upgrade to full pretend kitchen sets and playhouses and miniature figurines, and by the time we have elementary schoolers, people are posting "free kitchen, must pick up" on Facebook Marketplace."
"But growing up doesn't mean you lose your imagination or your sense of play or your wonder. Honestly, with the right resources - like books and free time for your brain to wander and creative outlets - I feel like all of our imaginations just get brighter and better. So why are we taking away all of the pretend toys the minute we deem our kids "too big" for them?"
"They will pretend to be a grouchy head chef at a restaurant. They will dig through the pretend food pieces and look specifically for the grilled cheese toy because that's what you ordered. When you swipe your pretend plastic card, they will tell you the transaction didn't go through and accuse you of trying to steal from them and insist you pay off what you owe by washing dishes."
Pretend play changes as children grow, shifting from simple baby dolls and push toys to playhouses, kitchen sets, and miniatures for older children. Many elaborate pretend sets and accessories are frequently given away or resold once children reach elementary school age. Older children continue to enjoy and deeply engage with pretend toys, often crafting elaborate backstories, assuming character roles, and staffing imaginative restaurants with rules and transactions. Toddlers play with single gestures and exchanges, while older children create narratives, negotiate outcomes, and simulate consequences. Pretend toys and miniatures support expanded creativity, narrative thinking, social skills, and sustained imaginative development when paired with books and unstructured time.
Read at Scary Mommy
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