Imaginary friends

[JosieJones84]

When do kids grow out of imaginary friends? 8 year old DSD has a multitude (and increasing!) and I'm worried this is indicative of something deeper. Any thoughts?

[morethanpotatoprints]

Ah, found this in unanswered.
Mine had imaginary friends and dd had an imaginary little brother that she told everybody lived behind the settee.
As for when they grew out of it, about 5/6 if iirc, it shows great imagination and is very common and normal.

[JosieJones84]

Ah! That's good to hear. She has all sorts - friends, siblings, husbands...! Thanks for your response. Was beginning to wonder if 8 might be a bit old for it, but fingers crossed all is ok! Will keep an eye...

[Princessdeb]

My 7 nearly 8 year old DD has a wide ranging cohort of imaginary friends which include a couple her own age, a toddler and a teenager and each has a distinct personality. Molly is very naughty and Amy the teenager is very responsible. I'm hoping this is a hint of DD's intention to be a lovely teen . Seriously though don't worry about it at all, they will grow out of it when they are ready.

[Charlotteamanda1]

The better they are at imaginary play as children the better they become at problem solving in adult hood.
She will grow out of it over the next couple of years.