Do you sometimes wonder if playing make believe does your child any good? Yes, undoubtedly. Below are some of the reasons why you should encourage your child when he plays doctor, or when your child plays house.
Develop social skills. By playing around pretend, your child learn how to relate with other people's feelings. They become more willing to play fair, to share, and to cooperate.
Build self confidence. When your girl stands in front and imagine herself a teacher or plays mother, that boosts her confidence and affirms she has abilities and gifts.
Boost intellectual growth. Using the imagination is the beginning of abstract thought. This is important when the child starts to go to the school where a child will have to learn that numerals stand for a group of objects, that letters symbolize sound, etc.
Practice language skills. When your child plays with the neighboring kids or her own siblings, they talk a lot. This helps boos her vocabulary, improve sentence structure and enhance communication skills.
Work out fears. When your child indulges in role playing, it helps him gain a sense of control over things that are big and fearsome, like monsters for example. It also helps him vent confusing feelings he might have.
So read to your child daily before he sleeps, or make up a story of your own. Books offer children the opportunity to visit other worlds and create new ones of their own.
