Skill· 3y–4y· 3 min
Imaginary Restaurant
Parent and child create a pretend restaurant together, assigning roles, serving imaginary food to stuffed animal customers, and engaging in imaginative dialogue. The agent coaches the parent to observe the child's ability to invent scenarios, assign roles, sustain pretend play, and use objects symbolically — building narrative thinking and social-cognitive skills.
Free to do together whenever you like.
What you'll need
Clear space for play. Gather stuffed animals/dolls, pretend or real cups/plates, optional pretend food, paper/markers for menu. Parent and child seated together where they can see each other and the 'customers.'
How it works
The 3-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneCreates pretend small world stories with toysMind· 3y–4y· core
- MilestoneEnacts a pretend roleMind· 3y–5y· core· Step 3
- MilestoneDevelops a shared storylineMind· 3.3y–5y· stretch
- MilestoneAssigns roles in shared playHeart· 4y–5y· core
- MilestonePretends with imagined roles or thingsMind· 2y–3y· core· Steps 2, 4
- MilestoneUses symbolic substitution (objects and words) in playMind· 20mo–3y· core· Step 4
- MilestonePlans a pretend scenarioMind· 3.3y–5y· stretch· Step 1
- MilestoneAdds a sequenced storylineMind· 4y–5y· stretch· Step 3
- MilestoneStays focused during activityMind· 2.5y–3y· stretch· Step 3
- MilestoneInvites others into pretend playHeart· 2.5y–3y· core· Step 1
Visual example
Coming soon