The Importance Of Pretend Play: Why Imagin?

The imagination also has many benefits. For instance, it can “build a stronger sense of self-confidence”. In this case, a stronger sense of self-confidence means better leadership skills. According to child development experts, children who engage in role-play games “not only stimulates imagination, it can also be tracked to improve vocabulary and social skills” (Jong, “The Power of Imagination”). According to a Scholastic article, children who participate in pretend play earn social and emotional skills. The reason is because they learn how to share, take turns, and “creatively problem-solve”. Children also get to pretend to be someone else which teaches them “the important moral development skill of empathy”. As a result, their confidence

This results in better problem solving skills which will be extremely helpful in the real world (“The Importance of Pretend Play: Encourage your child to use her imagination--- it’s not just fun, but builds learning skills too!”). Speaking of the real world, Ballantyne admits that while it can be wonderful, it can also be overwhelming and depressing. She describes the imagination as “a sort of escapism, a source of comfort when reality becomes too much.” What she means by this is that we humans get caught up with all the rules and expectations that we lose ourselves. We lose track of who we are and it all comes back to be overwhelming and frustrating. Ballantyne gives examples of using the imagination to help us deal with certain situations. For instance, avoiding the world completely by reading a book, listening to music that relates to our feelings, or even simply daydreaming. So, what this sums up to is that the imagination can help us survive in the real world because it comforts us and helps us through hard times. Furthermore, Hebert states, “Imaginative and pretend play helps develop many important skills that boost a child’s learning and success.” She claims that the imagination gives kids a chance “to practice real-life

According to an article by Sasson, “Imagination makes it possible to experience a whole world inside the mind”. Which means that you can actually explore different timeframes mentally and be able to look through different situations through another’s eyes. This ability is usually activated by a moderate amount of daydreaming. It provides happiness, though only temporarily, relief, and calmness from stress. Remember, having “a developed and strong imagination does not make you a daydreamer and impractical”. Instead, it “strengthens your creative abilities, and is a great tool for creating and remodeling you world and life” (Sasson, “The Power of Imagination”). As reported by Isenberg and Jalongo (2001), when children use their imaginations during playtime, “they are more creative, perform better at school tasks, and develop a problem-solving approach to learning.” (Bower 2005). Moving on, an article in Reader’s Digest confirms the claims made in the previous author’s statements. The author states that social skills can be earned through imaginative play. For example, playing a role of a parent helps them understand “how parents feel about their children.” This builds empathy and allows the child to be more social and cooperative in school and even the