I remember blogging about our 1st kiddo having pretend play at 3 years old. And now, our 2nd kiddo is following suit, also at 3 years old. It started when I printed and laminated some princess paper crafts for our girl to play with. The paper crafts didn't last long (due to everyday being played with) and after I saw one of those McDonalds' Happy Meal that came with free mini Barbie toys, I can't resist myself to get one for our girl.
And weeks later, hubby's turn to fell into the temptations and got our girl her 2nd mini Barbie toy from the Happy Meal. So, with the 2 mini Barbie toys, I noticed everyday she will be having pretend plays with them.
Cooking, dancing, playing house and all. Together with her brother's soldier toys and whatever toys that come in handy at that time hahaha...
If you have some time to spare, do read up on the following articles:
"Young children learn by imagining and doing. Your child is using an object to represent something else while giving it action and motion. But this pretend play is not as simple as it may seem. The process of pretending builds skills in many essential developmental areas. ~ The Importance of Pretend Play"
"We often use the terms pretend play or make-believe play (the acting out of stories which involve multiple perspectives and the playful manipulation of ideas and emotions), that reflect a critical feature of the child’s cognitive and social development. Over the last seventy-five years a number of theorists and researchers have identified the values of such imaginative play as a vital component to the normal development of a child. ~ The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development"
"Engaging in pretend play (also called symbolic play, imaginative play, dramatic play, or good old make-believe) means your toddler understands that she can choose one object (the block) to represent another (a camera just like Mommy’s). That’s a big concept, and a valuable one. Just think: Numbers and letters work the same way, with unique squiggles and shapes standing in for concepts of number and language. ~ Toddler Pretend Play: Tips for Boosting Your Child's Imagination"
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