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From Imitative Play to Imaginative Play
How Toddlers Develop and Make the Transition
By Shannon McKelden
"Encourage imaginative play, but do not push it," Dr. White says. "Take your lead from the child. If he/she asks you to engage in play that seems more imaginative, stop, attend to your child and follow his/her lead. Do not insert yourself into the play; rather engage at the invitation of the child."
Crone's children involved her in their play in exactly this manner. "I loved [the imaginative play stage] because they were thrilled to have me join in their play and always assigned me a particular role," Crone says. "I was given specific instructions about how to behave as the person that I was assigned to be."
Another way to encourage imaginative play is to make sure toddlers have access to a wide range of play materials to choose from. "That means toys that can be manipulated in a variety of ways (like blocks, empty boxes and other building material), [as well as] those that allow for the emergence of more complex dramatic themes (like action figures, dolls, animals and dress-up clothes)," says Dr. Paul J. Donahue, clinical psychologist and author of Parenting Without Fear (St. Martin's Press, 2007).
Dr. Donahue also mentions that the outdoors is a great place to pretend. "Young children can use rocks piles and trees as forts and castles, and manmade play sets often have open areas where kids can set up house or create a stage," he says.
In the end, despite the fact that kids are secretly learning all along, it's all about fun. "Parents need to remember that any form of play should be fun and that the children should set the agenda," Dr. Donahue says. "We don't want to pressure kids to engage in pretend play or to let them know that we think that is the 'right' way to play."
