Video on Pretend Play

A student of Sunil Sir has been working on Pretend Play toys.

He asked me to have a talk with her on various aspects of Pretend Play. He also asked me to record this talk so that we can share it with all of you.

Pretend play is a favourite activity for children between 2-6years.

Children are at a stage where they are able to imagine and associate intensely with objects in their immediate surroundings - which is why in this stage they engage in pretend play.

Through pretend play they relive their day to day experiences. They learn to rely on thought and not on impulses.

The ability of the child to see a cup as a hat or a telephone; to follow the sequences of serving a meal with care and love; even caring for a sick teddy (turned into a child); driving a car by holding the imaginary steering - provides opportunities to the child to become self regulated and responsible.

We have seen now a days that children are provided with miniature versions of most objects seen in their surroundings- for example a gas stove, a kitchen platform with all the utensils, a laptop setup etc.

The moment such toys are provided the purpose of pretend play is completely defeated.

These toys do not allow children to play with their imagination - we are restricting their ability to see a stone as cake… a chocolate cake, a spoon as a badminton racket etc.

We are actually obstructing the children from reaching great heights of imagination and creativity.

Our role as adults is to give them an  environment where children are free to convert objects in their environment to what they imagine. We should give them the space to relive and express what they are experiencing.

Below is the video on Pretend Play.

Thank you,

Sobhana ma’am

Eklavya School Ahmedabad

Click to download or view Video on Pretend Play.