It is essential for children to have imaginary play.
A child uses imaginary play to explore the experiences that make up their life.
While using their imagination, the child will be developing their physical skills, language and social skills as well as problem solving and self regulation skills.
The child can be creative when re-enacting scenarios. They try to explore different outcomes to them. School, meal times, dressing and bathing are some of the social situations that can be explored.
Children can explore traumatic events through play. The classic event is a hospital/doctor visit. The child can explore how they felt while the doctor examined them. What was it like to have a cold stethoscope on their chest? How did they feel when they were being given an injection? Who were the people that looked after them in the hospital? When do they have to go to the doctor’s surgery or the hospital?
It is a good idea for parents to participate in the imaginary play. You can showcase how to behave. It is not only saying please and thank you. But also taking turns. showing how to listen, how to greet people etc.
I love watching children participating in imaginary play.
You can often see a window into their lives. A child reflects what they have seen or heard. They are trying to work it out.
What I consider the best thing about imaginary play, is that you do not really need any specific toy or any other object. People talking about children using boxes. but they do not even need that. They are quite happy using thin air.