When was the last time you’ve been invited into your child’s imaginative world? You know, the one where the rules are ever-changing, logic is optional, and somehow, you’re suddenly part of a family with six mostly-twin siblings? 😆
Recently I was lucky enough to get pulled into some imaginative play of shopkeeper/family/friends (it was a wild mix). Some of the highlights, courtesy of my 5-year-old playmate:
- Her character had four sisters and two brothers, who were, in her words, “mostly twins.” Some even had the same first name. But different middle names to tell them apart. Logical, right?
- At some point, she closed her shop and declared, “But you can stay, because we’re becoming friends. I have two beds. You can stay at my house.”
- When I said my character was twelve, she grinned and said, “Oh, I’m 13! One year older than you.” Then, after a thoughtful pause: “And my mum is 14. My dad is 15.”
So good. 😁
But here’s the thing: this kind of play isn’t just fun. It’s how our tamariki make sense of the world. Through imagination, they’re:
🧠 Practising problem-solving – “How do I run a shop and be a good friend?”
💡 Exploring relationships – “What does it mean to be older, younger, a sibling, a friend?”
💬 Building communication skills – “How do I invite someone into my world and explain the rules?”
❤️ Processing emotions – Role-playing lets children experiment with feelings in a safe way.
So how can we support this?
✨ Say Yes! to their world: jump in and follow their lead.
✨ Ask open-ended questions, e.g. “What do you and your mostly-twin siblings like to do together?”
✨ Offer unstructured time: imagination thrives in moments of calm and unhurriedness.
If you’d love a space where your child’s creativity gets nurtured (without screens, structured lessons, or any clean-up for you!), our process-art and messy play sessions are the perfect playground for imagination.
PS: What’s the funniest thing your child has ever come up with in imaginative play? I’d love to hear it! Leave a comment to let me know.
Imagine Play Inspire 