When do kids start play-pretending? When does imagination develop?

United States
September 5, 2007 3:02am CST
Just recently, I noticed that my 3 1/2 year old daughter was play pretending with her doll. She was acting like her mommy and saying some of the same things to the doll that I've said before. She was saying things like, "Do you feel OK?" "Do you need a hug?" It was too cute. And, I was wondering why I had never noticed her play-pretending before. Perhaps this is something she has been doing for awhile, but I just haven't noticed. She is a very private person and likes to play by herself with dolls in her room. Of course Mommy is never too far away, but it's just something she likes to do. She keeps a lot of her play to herself. Of course, she's been doing the regular type of play all along, but I just never noticed her pretending to be mommy. Do most kids start trying to develop their imagination around this age? Does it vary for each child? Is pretend play part of the process of growing up?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@gr8life (6251)
• Malaysia
6 Sep 07
Hello beautyqueen26, I experienced that kind of imaginative play with one of my nieces. She was just like your daughter's age when I realized that she always went to her room and closed the door from inside. One day, I peeped inside to see what she has been doing. Amazingly, she was teaching a few students! I heard her saying, "Good morning, class!", "Raise your hand if you know the answer!" and etc. My sister who is her mother, is a primary school teacher and I think she imagined that by seeing her mother teaching her students.
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
5 Sep 07
My son has been pretending a lot lately. He will come up to me and say "Woof woof!!" and then lick my leg. He then says "Look Mommy! I'm a yuppy!" lol He also sleeps with two stuffed rabbits. He named then Funny Bunny and Funny Bunny 1. lol I will hear him when he gets up in the middle of the night. He will say something like "Uh oh! Fuddy Buddy, are you okay? Did Fuddy Buddy 1 push you out of the ni ni bed?" Then he will pick him up and kiss him and I will hear him saying "Ohhh! Swee Fuddy Buddy!" Then he apparently gets ahold of Funny Bunny 1, too, because he says "Now, Fuddy Buddy 1, you has to be nice to Fuddy Buddy!" It's so funny. It's pretty much a nightly occurrence, because one of the bunnies falls out of bed almost every night, because he puts so much stuff in his toddler bed with himself. :)
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
5 Sep 07
little Girl feeding Teddy - Little girl feeding her Teddy Bear
Your little girls sounds like she is progressing well, learning the good things from her mother, I love to hear of kids playing with dolls, I was beginning to think that kids went from babies to teenagers these days, they seem to grow up so fast, I hope your little girl stay a little girl doing little girl things for a few year, treasure the moments she sounds lovley.
@andrejuly84 (1047)
• Romania
5 Sep 07
my girl plays pretending too.she can't act too much as she doesn't speak too well but she is trying to pretend she is mummy or pretending she is a witch scarying the dolls or other toys.she is so cute when she wants to scary me also and she said to go in the house with a strange voice.i love her.