16mo–2.2y8 minFree playFamily time
Join My Pretend!
A short, playful pretend session where the parent shows genuine interest, mirrors the child’s early pretend actions, and adds tiny, child-led extensions to keep pretend going.
What you'll need
Essentials
- a small soft toy (teddy/doll)
- a cup or small bowl
- a spoon
Nice to have
- a small cloth/napkin
- an empty (clean) food container
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
What it practices
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Show genuine interest and be willing to play along with a young child who is beginning to pretend.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)