Let's Pretend!
Child initiates and sustains make-believe play across 3+ linked pretend actions. Agent acts as a co-player who offers invitations and complications rather than directing. Observes whether pretend emerges spontaneously, how many actions chain together, whether narrative logic is present, and whether object substitution occurs.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
No setup required. Clear a small play area if possible. Have no specific props out — let child choose or invent.
How it works
- 1~20s
Say to your child: 'Let's pretend! You can be anyone — a doctor, a chef, a lion, or whatever you want. You pick!' Then wait 10 seconds. If nothing, say: 'What should we pretend today?' Tell me what your child chooses — or if they doesn't engage at all.
Watch for: Child initiates or joins make-believe scenario
- 2~120s
Now be a co-player. Mirror what your child does and ask open questions that extend the pretend: 'What happens next?', 'Who else is in this story?', 'What do you need for that?' Don't redirect. Let your child lead for 2-3 minutes. Then tell me: how many connected pretend actions did you count? Was there a story logic or was each action random?
Watch for: Child sustains linked make-believe actions with narrative logic
- 3~30s
Now add a small story complication — something that fits the scenario. If your child is a chef: 'Oh no, we're out of one ingredient! What should we do?' If a doctor: 'The patient just sneezed everywhere!' If a lion: 'The other lions are coming!' Watch how your child responds — does they stay in character and solve the problem in-pretend, or does the pretend break?
Watch for: Child responds to story complication while staying in pretend