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From Imitative Play to Imaginative Play
How Toddlers Develop and Make the Transition
By Shannon McKelden
"Let's pretend! This is the cry of the child who is ready to take off with their imagination," Dr. Cohen says.
The two types of play do seem to overlap, which is perfectly normal. "A little before age 3 the imaginative play really takes off, with extended periods of time devoted to make-believe," Dr. Cohen says. "Unlike with imitative play, this imaginative play often involves a complex back-and-forth interaction between kids, or between parent and child."
Tricia Canavan Crone of Portsmouth, R.I., noticed at around the age of 2 1/2 to 3 her three boys became more imaginative in their play. "As they became older toddlers ... they began to use objects to represent other items," she says. "They began to move a block around a mat that we had which had streets printed on it. They would make car noises while using the block."
Soon, most of their play transitioned to imaginative play. A stick became a broom. A block became a car or a train. They began to use items to stand for something completely different. "The imaginative play lasted for a very long time," Crone says. "It was one of my favorite types of play because they started taking on different roles (Batman, Harry Potter, astronauts and a host of other characters)."
Dr. White comments that much of a child's imaginative/pretend play relates to the adult world around him. "Imaginative play ... helps each child assign his/her own meaning to events that they cannot understand from an adult perspective," she says. "For example, playing 'mommy and daddy' and 'school' are typical play themes that children create about very important aspects of their lives."
Experts agree that encouraging play – imitative or imaginative – is perfectly acceptable, even encouraged.