• Home
  • About
  • Contact
    • Work With Me
  • My Shop
  • Start Here

A Mother Far from Home

  • Discipline
    • Toys And Play
    • Big Family
    • Family Culture
    • Diapers & Potty Training
    • Irish Twins
    • Teething
  • Emotions
  • Faith
    • Christian Holidays
    • Church Related
    • Spiritual Principles
  • Home
    • Cleaning & Chores
    • Meal Time & Eating
    • Organizing, Tidying & Decluttering
    • Emergency Preparedness For Families
  • Motherhood
    • Mental & Emotional Wholeness
    • Mother’s Helper
    • Type A Wife and Mom
    • Books to Read
    • Pregnancy
  • Routine
    • Baby Schedules & Routines
    • Toddler Routines & Schedules
    • Mom Schedules & Routines
    • School Routines
  • Sleeping
    • Sleep Troubleshooting
    • Napping Tips
    • Basic Sleep Tips
Home » Practical Parenting Tips » Toys And Play » How to Encourage Toddlers and Preschoolers To Use Their Imagination

How to Encourage Toddlers and Preschoolers To Use Their Imagination

Updated January 4, 2021

861shares

Want simple chaos-erasing family routines? Who doesn't? Check out our Family Routines Reboot!

Want simple chaos-erasing family routines? Who doesn't? Check out our Family Routines Reboot!

Do you have toddlers and preschoolers for whom you want to encourage using their imagination? Here are some tips on how you can help get your little kids imagining and playing on their own.

Children love imaginative play, here’s how you can help encourage your toddlers and preschoolers to use their imagination daily.


I’m a big fan of encouraging my children to use their imagination and play independently.

When kids play pretend they fully engage in play in a way that has endless benefits.

There’s a difference between being entertained and playing, and encouraging imagination and pretend play helps children learn to use all parts of their brain and actively engage in life.

This is far preferable than too much screen time.

preschooler playing pretend with her doll using her imagination

How to encourage your children to play pretend

All children will naturally come into this stage of development – when they realize that play does not have to be reality – but some kids need a push.

Especially those kids who are not skilled at playing on their own yet.

Teach your toddlers how to use their imagination – show them how

Children learn to start playing pretend somewhere around the age of 2 to 3.

With my oldest, and no siblings to show her how, we had to gently encourage and invite her to play.

We’d set up a tea party in her room and show her that you could drink a cup, even if it didn’t have any drink in it. Or you could eat the fake plastic cupcake though it wasn’t the real thing.

She gave us a weird look for a while, but eventually got the hang of it and now, she is the most amazing pretender I’ve ever seen. 

ella kate playing princess sofia

Give your kids toys that encourage their imagination

Just as often as not, some of my kids will come to lunch in a costume of some sort.  After Halloween, buy costumes half off and stock up.

Children are very imagination and props might help them get there quicker.

But props also come by way of things you already have at home. Toilet paper rolls can be props for an obstacle course. A standard baby item a prop for “mommy daddy, and baby” game.

A swaddling blanket as a cape. A vacuum part as a sword. Pipe cleaners for a crown. Newspapers for a scroll. Blocks to make a plane.

Encourage your kids to think outside the box and soon it’ll become second nature.

Help your kids set the scene for play

While it’s all fun and well to help them come up with props for their favorite game, why not create a scene? This is why forts are so amazing. Build a fort, make a pallet, build a sandcastle, or a real “castle tower” with mega blocks.

My kids will play hide and go seek and the seeker is a lion. The others will run from room to room and closet pretending they are about to be devoured.

This is not a quiet game.

If they like to play trucks, gather all the trucks into one area and create some easy ramps with books or boards.

If your daughter is playing princess, bring out stuffed animals, tea sets, tables, or whatever else she uses in her games. By helping them create an entire scene in their room or the living room, the game is much richer and more exciting.

Read: Age appropriate toys for independent play

princess sofia amulet

Play silly and cheesy games with your kids

This takes some getting used to. We aren’t all naturally gifted players. My husband has always found it easy to lay on the ground and get in the game.

It’s taken me a bit more practice, but it is truly one of the most exciting things to do. Not only is a great way to connect with your child individually, it helps you practice being a present parent.

You don’t have to join in the game for 3 hours, but the kids are likely to give you a recurring cameo. Do you find it hard to play with your kids? It’s easier when you jump in and make up a game with them.

You can be part of their scenario or let them give you a role.

Give your kids a chance to play on their own.

Help them set the scene.

Let their imagination take hold.

::

Want to learn your parenting style?

Each of us have our own personality, temperament, and giftings. And, the truth is, we parent best when we work with these instead of against them. Take this assessment so you can work to your strengths, and be the mom you want to be for yourself and your children.

Rachel

New to this community? Start here, friend.

861shares

Filed Under: Practical Parenting Tips, Toys And Play0

« 6 Bad Things That Happened When I Stopped Praising
What Child Abusers Actually Look Like »

Recommended For You From Our Shop

Family Culture Planning Pack

Strong Families Don't Happen By Accident

Strong and happy families have carefully crafted Family Cultures.

They don't let guilt drive them, rather they spend their time and energy digging deep into a few key family areas that pay off in spades.

Families don't need to do more and more things, they just need to focus their attention on a few key areas that make for strong families, then repeat those over and over.

Click to Learn More

I'm Rachel, mother of 5 young kids living in the Florida panhandle with my Australian husband. I write about family culture, family rhythms and routines, and boundaries in motherhood and life. You can see snippets of my daily life here and visit my shop for baby sleep, organizing, and routine help.

“Inside my brain”

Geeezzz, it was like you were inside my brain today!  (and most days recently)  I needed this badly.

Thank you!!!
Andrea P.

“Nothing was working…”

I just wanted to say thank you for your easy peasy routine for 2 year olds! I day-weaned my 2 year old a month ago and have been trying everything to get him to go down for a nap without the nursing. Nothing was working and I was starting to think he would never have a nap again.

Anyways I started following your routine and we just sat in bed and had what I told him was “quiet time.” We sat and read and made a fort and had warm milk. Then today I told him it was quiet time again and he tried to escape the bed a couple times, but in the end he snuggled up after the warm bottle and fell asleep for 3 hours! I was almost in tears I was so excited! So thank you!

Meghan

“Thanks for your bundle!”

Thanks for for doing this Everyday Mom Super Bundle sale. I’m four months into my parenthood journey with a sweet and spirited boy.

I was feeling overwhelmed and frustrated just yesterday, thinking if only I had the right resources and “trail guides” I could figure this all out. Your sale is serendipitous. I can’t wait to dig into my download materials and start learning from your tips.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

Lauren N.

“It’s a breath of fresh air”

I just wanted to let you know that your blog and emails have been a tremendous help to me. Your practical, honest, and humble writing is a breath of fresh air!

With help and encouragement drawn from your writing, I have made some incredible changes in the order (and sanity) of our home, in just the past few weeks. My kids are doing chores daily, and I also have clearer expectations of myself.

My husband is in awe!

Which helps reinforce what you said- the problem wasn’t me; it was my systems. Our home is in much better order, and so is my mind. So, thank you!!!! You have made a difference for me and my family.

Ann S.

“We are slowly getting back to normal…”

I stumbled upon your blog one morning after praying night after night for God to fix my home! I had just had a baby this May 1st and also have a 2 and 4 year old and my home broke out in complete chaos!

Even my marriage seemed like it was on the brink of extinction and this had happened in 2 weeks! I read numerous amounts of your entries and applied them to my home life and I am happy to say we are slowly getting back to normal. Thank you Rachel! 

Madison S.

“You’ve been a life saver!”

I’m a first time mom to a 15 day old baby girl. I had no idea what I was doing and couldn’t get her to sleep in her crib until I found your blog.

You’ve been a life saver!

Candace R.

“Within a week or two our little girl changed!”

I tumbled into post partum depression/anxiety and didn’t know what to do anymore. I was a mess, baby girl was a mess and I don’t even know how my husband was dealing with it all… 

I googled everything I could think about but there was never really something that felt right, that felt genuine instead of just telling do’s and don’ts. 

And then I found your website and read your pieces about sleeping and eating. I carefully read through your schedules and decided to try it.

IT WORKED!! 

And within a week or two our little girl changed from a frustrated baby into this happy dappy smiling ray of sunshine, that is able to settle herself down by sucking on her fists, even in the middle of the night. At 12 weeks baby girl slept through the night and now at 20 weeks old she sleeps a good 10 to 12 hours every night. 

I just wanted to thank you for sharing your experience online. The way you wrote your experiences made it understandable, seeing it from the babys side but also the moms side. Maybe we were lucky that your way fitted our baby, but it worked and I tell it to everyone that wants to know!

Stephanie P.

“Had tremendous success from Day One!”

I just wanted to thank you for your sample routine.  I’ve been using it for a week with my 13 month old and had tremendous success from day 2! Wind down time is so important and so is consistency.  Thank you so much!!!

Sam M.

“In a few short days…”

I am grateful to have found your blog, as I do a great deal of searching on Pinterest when I am up against a parenting moment that I do not feel qualified to handle.

I will say though that since reading your blog I am really focusing on remembering that every moment is a learning \ experience for my son and I try to take a breath and count to ten. In the few short days that I have been exercising this method I truly have noticed a change for the better in his response to me.

Tami K.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hey y'all, I'm Rachel Norman, BA, MS, Language of Listening® parenting coach, mother to 5 babies in 5 years on 3 continents, no multiples. Join me in parenting without losing your mind. Read More >>

Search

Copyright © 2021 All Rights Reserved | A Mother Far From Home | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility














15 Minute Projects To Get Your Home In Order

In just 15 minutes a night (while you're in your pj's!) take your home from stressed out to organized with these 101+ 15 minute projects. 


envelope
envelope
close
x
close

Download, print, and start having peaceful play times!

envelope
x