by Rachel Wells

Whether your child is engaging in pretend play on their own or with a group, the benefits are endless.

Pretend play (also referred to as dramatic or imaginative play) isn’t just about having fun, but about strengthening critical life skills, boosting creativity, improving social skills, and building independence.

Let’s take a deeper look at some of the amazing ways a child’s brain benefits from time spent engaged in pretend play.

Strengthening critical life skills

Analyzing real life scenarios

Pretend play allows kids an opportunity to recreate life experiences that they can analyze, navigate, and test out different outcomes for in a safe, risk-free way.

Developing emotional intelligence

Through pretend play children can learn to express and manage their emotions, and understand and relate to the feelings of others.

Problem-solving and critical thinking

Children often encounter challenges in their play that require them to think creatively and find solutions, which in turn enhances their cognitive flexibility.

Boosting language development

Pretend play helps children expand their vocabulary as they act out various roles and scenarios.

Boosting creativity

Pretend play allows children to explore their imagination and think creatively while developing new ideas.

Improving social skills

Pretend play gives children lots of natural opportunities to communicate, cooperate, take turns, resolve conflicts, and understand different perspectives – all essential social skills.

Building independence

Pretend play allows children the freedom to use their imaginations within their play scenarios without real world consequences. This ability to safely take risks helps children develop a sense of independence and confidence.