A child’s development is crucial since it’s directly tied to learning and language development. Pretend play, a kind of imaginative play, is widely used by parents and guardians to encourage imagination, helping children form their own worlds, which is crucial in language skills. In today’s article, we’ll talk about how pretend play toys support language development in young children and why parents should keep doing so.
What is pretend play?
Otherwise called “make-believe,” pretend play or imaginative play is a type of play where children use nonliteral behavior, assigning certain actions to symbols and objects. Some common examples of pretend play include playing “house,” where a child imagines a family or roleplays superheroes. Other times, it incorporates using pretend play toys like playing tea parties or dress-ups.
How do pretend play toys help in children’s language development?
On top of unleashing a child’s imagination, pretend play is crucial in child development since it helps build character and form their own perception of the world around them. This is where pretend play toys come in handy, serving a couple of advantages that help boost child development through different aspects such as the following:
It encourages imaginative thinking and creative expression.
As mentioned earlier, pretend play serves as an avenue for children to unleash their creative expression and imaginative thinking. Paired with pretend play toys, these items help bring their imaginations to life; for them, a few building blocks could become a castle, while a couple of pillows and a blanket are enough to make a fortress. Even dolls and stuffed animals can become their sidekick or friend during these scenarios. Here are a few aspects of child development that are being enhanced during pretend play using toys:
Creative problem-solving. During pretend plays, certain circumstances sometimes present themselves as unique challenges for children. For example, during superhero play, they need to make up stories and figure out how to end them on a good note. During their peak moment, children may introduce a new “hero” in the form of their stuffed toys, thus saving the day.
Symbolic thinking. Pretend play toys are commonly used during children’s playtime; a simple stick may become a magic wand, or they can make cars out of cardboard boxes. This is a crucial aspect of cognitive thinking that’s linked to language development. By using pretend play toys, children also use language to explain their play.
Emotional expression. During their imaginary scenarios, children also get to explore a wide range of emotions in a safe environment. They can act out scenarios, be it happiness, anger, fear, or even sadness, and convey these through words and actions, which enhance their vocabulary.
It supports social and emotional development.
Language may be the most developed and practiced aspect during pretend play, but it also boosts a child’s emotional development. These two aspects are interconnected, which further enhances a child’s overall communication abilities.
Another crucial ability children develop during their playtime is empathy. Because they take on different roles, they get to see the world from different perspectives, which helps them relate to their characters and develop better understanding.
To wrap it up, pretend play toys are more than just items for children; these are useful tools that foster emotional and cognitive behavior, which helps a child’s growing language abilities.
