When did your DC start doing imaginative/pretend play?

[StripyDeckchair]

As title says just interested in what age your DC started generating their own imaginative scenarios/games? And what are/were your favourite imaginative activities for toddlers?

DS just turned 18 months and has been copying various actions for a while but today totally blew my mind by spontaneously finding something to be a pretend bowl, making imaginary soup, blowing on it to cool it down and then feeding it to his doll. It was totally adorable. My mum looked after him yesterday and I think she may have shown him how to do this but it was still amazing to see (well, for me anyway!)

Are there any games/activities that are especially good for encouraging imaginative play at this age? I don't want to expect too much of him but it would be lovely to help him develop this further if he enjoys this style of play.

Thank you!

[emsmum79]

Little figures like Happyland, a toy kitchen, and lots and lots of books. It's so lovely seeing their imaginations develop.

[DevonshireCreamTea]

A tea set and pretend cakes/biscuits etc.
Fit hair dryer and make up etc lol

[DevonshireCreamTea]

Toy not fit bloody auto correct.
Especially if your little one watches you doing your hair/make up. He can have his own stuff !

[Phillipa12]

Dc1, never
Dc2, 3 and 4 around 20 months.
They all loved mini figures, animals. All the small world toys and treasure, lots of treasure to carry in bags. (Treasure in their world equals tat in our world!)

[Ilovedotcotton]

My DS started pretending that things were phones at about 13/14 months. I have a video of him when he’s 14 months putting his foot up to his ear and using it like a phone, saying ‘Dada, Dada?’ He then started pretending to feed his toys animals using stacking cups and wooden shapes. I’ve just bought the Happyland stuff for Xmas so I hope he likes it! We saw a paediatrician at the same age and she said this was the point that their imaginations start to take hold.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

DS used to breastfeed his woolly scarecrow at 21 months, and generally copied whatever I did with his baby sister.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

• HappyLand or Little People, they are great for pretend play for toddlers and pretty much indestructible.
  

• DS also likes dollies, we bought a Baby Stella doll and the matching accessories bundle, both DD and DS have played with them and they're lovely and soft too (and come in various skin tones and boy/girl models). DS loves a dolly buggy and I made a dolly carrier for them too.
  

• Any food/shop/kitchen type set up. Things like a till with pretend money, shopping baskets. You'll be endlessly playing shop or eating pretend food though!!!

[StripyDeckchair]

Thanks for all the tips! The baby Stella doll looks great. I've seen the happy land/little people stuff but he only has a couple of figures at the moment. Will definitely look at some of this as still need a few bits for Christmas. He's getting a play kitchen from his grandparents and I think he'll love it.

He's been giving toys a go at breastfeeding, talking on the phone, etc. for a while but I was definitely taken aback that he could do something with so many steps to it in his own little imaginary world.

I've posted before about him "acting out" scenes from books and DH and I agree that he spends a lot of time tuning into what people around him are doing, rather than, say, focusing on getting on with physical stuff like climbing. So it seems like this is probably a bit to do with his personality as well.

[junebirthdaygirl]

Farm and zoo animals are great too.. and that big bucket of bricks so he can make little houses for them. So cute to see them doing all that stuff.
Lidl usually have play food like pizza, birthday cake and icecream cones. Got all these for gd and she had hours of fun.
Only problem is you will be lying on floor being a different character everyday.
Another good thing is a little table and chair.

[Thesearmsofmine]

Between 1&2 years old. We have loads of Happyland, Playmobil, animals figures etc. My youngest is amazing at this kind of play and I love to just sit and watch while he thinks I’m not looking.