Playing with My Doll

Materials You Need: A doll or stuffed animal (can be very simple, made at home); a few other items like a small piece of cloth and a spoon

What You Can Do Together: At this age, your child’s ability to pretend or “make-believe” is growing rapidly.  Many activities can encourage this kind of imaginative thinking. One idea is to spend time getting your child involved with pretending with her or his doll or stuffed animal. Your child may just pick it up and begin to (for example) pretend to put the doll to sleep. But if not, get started by saying something like, “Oh, your doll (or bear) is sleepy. Let’s put him/her to sleep.” You can begin, but let your child take the lead as soon as your child gets started. Step away and watch what your child does with the doll/stuffed animal and a few materials. You might comment on what he or she is doing, but you can also simply enjoy your child’s imagination!

What Your Child is Learning: The ability to imagine and get involved in pretend play supports your child’s thinking skills and is emotionally very satisfying. Play is the most important way that children learn about the world in the preschool years. Every day, you can encourage your child’s make-believe play with simple materials and a few ideas.