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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Playing imaginatively, at what age should it start?

8 replies

gracej · 30/07/2006 14:54

My DS has a neurological problem, so I don't expect him to start doing things in the same way as other children. But I don't have other kids to compare him with, I was just wondering when did your kids start playing imaginatively?
And did you have to show them to play in this way to start with (for example showing them how you can feed their doll, etc)? Or did they just see things happening through the day and imitated through play? Thanks!

OP posts:

kama · 30/07/2006 15:25

This reply has been deleted

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HonorMatopoeia · 30/07/2006 15:28

HI grace, my dd is 18 months and I think it was around 15 months that she started to pretend she was on the phone (she picked this up out of nowhere - it's not even as if we're always on the phone here!). Since she has started doing things such as feeding her dolls, trying to change their nappies - all the sort of things that I do to her on a daily basis. I haven't really shown her, she's just picked it up. HTH

melpomene · 30/07/2006 21:58

My dd2 is 15 months old. She started pretending to use the phone a few months ago. She's been doing more imaginative play recently, eg pretending to eat a lego brick and saying "mmmm", making a bit of carrot 'dance'.

I think it's a good idea to show them imaginative play as you suggest - recently when playing with dd2 I've started pretending to feed dolls etc but she hasn't copied that yet.

hairymclary · 30/07/2006 21:59

I would agree with the others, my son started at around 16-17 months. One day he sat on the sofa with a litle pot and a peg and started pretending to eat with it.
I don't think I showed him how, he just did it himself

Original poster

gracej · 31/07/2006 05:28

Thank you ladies for replying. Very very useful information for me. It realy gives me an idea of where DS is in comparison with other children.
I didn't classify taking the phone to his ear as imaginative play, but he started doing so at about 16 months. And he plays to feed his doll, but that only after months of me showing this to him. (he is 18 months BTW).
I wonder when well it start happening more often and spontanously, if ever.
Thanks again.

OP posts:

jambot · 31/07/2006 14:06

DD has just started at 16 months to feed her 'babas', use her hand as a phone and generally play properly with her toys. Also becoming attached to her soft toys and showing affection for them.

yawningmonster · 05/08/2006 08:12

Ds is 22mths and has only done imaginative play as modeled to him, eg I showed him feeding dolls and he continued. He never pretend plays with phones etc. As far as I know he is nt and I am not concerned at this stage about imaginative play, he is able to imitate and to take an idea shown to him into other play eg: was "feeding" his farm animals his morning tea the other day spontaneously.

ja9 · 05/08/2006 08:18

DS is 23 mths. For quite a number of months he has been talking into the phone but only in the last couple of weeks have i seen him eat imaginatively. Yesterday for the first time i saw him put all his pirates to sleep on the ship, saying 'goodnight' and going through his bedtime routine with them.

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