{"id":2534,"date":"2016-08-18T18:22:47","date_gmt":"2016-08-18T22:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parenttraining.chip.uconn.edu\/?page_id=2534"},"modified":"2026-03-30T04:08:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T08:08:46","slug":"toys-that-may-encourage-pretend-play","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/parenttraining.chip.uconn.edu\/index.php\/toys-that-may-encourage-pretend-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Toys That May Encourage Pretend Play"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Now we\u2019re going to list some toys that might encourage pretending. You don\u2019t need all of them, and they don\u2019t have to be fancy or expensive. Some of them you may be able to make yourself, like a dollhouse with 2 or 3 rooms out of cardboard boxes that you tape together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Pinterest website is a great place to find ideas. You can find many examples for how to make toy kitchens, dollhouses, and even dolls. Keep in mind, however, that the more the toy looks like the real thing, the easier it will be for the child to learn to pretend with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you decide on a play scene to start with, make sure it\u2019s one the child is familiar with. For example, feeding a baby doll is a good action to teach, especially for children with a baby brother or sister. But, if your child has seldom seen a real baby drinking from a bottle, that may not be a good one for him. Think about some of the simple things your child sees adults or other children do often. For example, sharing a pot of tea, stirring a pot of food, feeding a baby, talking on the telephone, or driving a car might be good things to start with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STEP 1: ONE-STEP SIMPLE TOY PLAY WITH THE CHILD AS THE ACTOR<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with the first type of play skill: One-step simple toy play with the child as the actor. You could start with a baby doll that your child can pretend to feed. Or you could start by pretending to eat a toy food, or pretending to stir something in a small pot with a spoon. You might want to start by putting a couple of sets of things on a table or on the floor in front of your child. These could be things like a baby with a baby bottle, and a pot with a spoon. Does she seem to show more interest in one set of toys?  It\u2019s always a good idea to use materials that your child seems interested in. This will make it more likely that she will want to play with you. It will also keep her attention longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Be on the lookout for toys that your child finds interesting and that can be used for pretend play.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This is a really important point, so let\u2019s repeat it. Be on the lookout for toys that your child finds interesting and that can be used for pretend play. Toy foods, a doll, a stuffed animal, a toy car or truck are all good toys to try out. There are lots of toys that your child may like a lot but that can\u2019t readily be used for pretending, like toys that light up or spin. We suggest you put those out of sight while you\u2019re working on pretend play, and just have toys that are good for pretend play available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can start in the child\u2019s play area if she has one or in the child\u2019s special learning space if you have set one up (as we discussed in Module 9). Or you could work on pretending to feed a baby doll while sitting at the kitchen table just before or after a meal. You could pretend to bathe a baby doll in the bathroom just after your child\u2019s bath or pretend to put a teddy bear to sleep just before, during, or after your child\u2019s bedtime routine.<\/p>\n\n\n

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 Let\u2019s say your child showed some interest in the baby bottle. Put the   bottle and the baby doll on the table or floor in front of her. If she   doesn\u2019t pick up the doll after about 5-10 seconds, you pick it up and   say, \u201cLet\u2019s feed the baby.\u201d Then cradle the baby in your arms or keep   it in front of your child and pretend to feed it for a few seconds,   making baby drinking noises. Then hand the child the bottle and say something like, \u201cNow you feed the baby,\u201d or \u201cNow it\u2019s your turn to feed the baby,\u201d or \u201cThe baby\u2019s hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the child makes no move  to do so, gently help her to hold the baby and\/or to feed it. If the child puts the bottle in the wrong place (like in the baby\u2019s eye or ear), help her move the bottle to the mouth and say, \u201cBottle goes in baby\u2019s mouth.\u201d Or just move the doll so that the bottle goes near the doll\u2019s mouth. Then, whether you helped or not, provide enthusiastic praise. You could say, \u201cWhat a good mommy” (or “daddy”). You fed the baby.\u201d Or you could make enthusiastic baby drinking noises and then tell her how happy the baby is to have his bottle. Then try to extend the play for a short time, in whatever way you like. For example, you could say, \u2018Now baby\u2019s ready for bed\u2019 and cover the doll with a small blanket. Or make the baby cry and say, \u201cOh no! Baby\u2019s hungry again.\u201d Then prompt the child to feed the baby again. Or you could try burping the baby or feeding it with a spoon instead of a bottle.<\/p>\n\n\n