Skill· 2y–4y· 3 min
Pretend play — enter their world
Parent follows the child into a pretend play scenario the child initiates — tea party, doctor, shop, dinosaurs. Agent coaches the parent to accept the rules of the child's imagined world and play as directed. Observations track the child's imaginative flow and parent's willingness to stay inside the scenario.
Free to do together whenever you like.
What you'll need
No special setup. Bring yourself and available props. Anything household-usable — spoons, cups, a blanket — can become anything in pretend play.
How it works
The 3-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneUses symbolic substitution (objects and words) in playMind· 20mo–3y· stretch
- MilestoneInvites others into pretend playHeart· 2.5y–3y· core
- MilestonePlans a pretend scenarioMind· 3.3y–5y· stretch· Steps 1, 2
- MilestoneFocusing attention – still listen or do, but can shift own attention.Mind· 2.5y–4.2y· stretch· Step 3
- MilestoneAnswers simple open questionsMind· 2.3y–3.3y· core· Step 1
- MilestoneUnderstands simple questionsMind· 14mo–2.2y· core· Step 1
Visual example
Coming soon