Dorothy and Jerome Singer stated in their book Make Believe: Games and Activities to Foster Imaginative Play in Young Children that make-believe play adds richness to children’s lives by sharpening their senses. Imaginative and fantasy play “increases their ability to explore new contexts and to try out new situations in odd combinations. This exploration makes children sensitive to the creativity of others. It also lays the groundwork for their own creative development.”

Infants: Acting Out Nursery Rhymes - These can be found in my book Teaching with Heart: Educational Activities for Teachers & Parents using Traditional Nursery Rhymes. Using the rhyme “Baa, Baa Black Sheep” encourage older infants to get down on the floor on their hands and knees and crawl around pretending to be sheep and saying “Baa, Baa” while you sing the nursery rhyme. By hearing their own words or those of others, infants are in effect practicing vocabulary, learning new ways to express themselves, and picking up phrases of the language.

Toddlers: Make Believe Activities – These involve physical activities that are related to the development of both gross and fine motor skills and body awareness. As toddlers use their bodies they refine and develop skills, which enable them to feel physically confident, secure and self-assured. First have them act out “actions” such as sleeping, walking, eating, bathing, running, and swimming. Second have them make “sounds” such as roaring, crying, laughing, yelling, and snoring. Next have them “imitate the actions of animals” such as wiggling like a snake, flying like a bird, swimming like a fish, jumping like a kangaroo, crawling like a lion, and hopping like a rabbit.

Preschoolers: Pantomime Guessing Game - Make-believe can help to improve language development, memory, problem solving, creativity and critical thinking skills. Research indicates that children who have well developed imaginations learn reading and vocabulary more rapidly. Make up guessing cards by cutting pictures out of magazines and pasting them on cards. Each child chooses a card and has to act it out and make the sounds of the following objects. The others must guess. Possible ideas are:

Let yourself go! Creative children and adults are very responsive to their bodies and are tuned in to the details of their environment including sights, sounds, smells, and objects to touch and explore. The most important tools for adults to have are the desire to participate in being an imaginative partner with children, and a readiness to use everyday materials in unusual ways.

If you’re a dreamer come in. If you’re a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
a hoper, a pray-er, a magic-bean-buyer.
If you’re a pretender come sit by my fire.
For we have some flax golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!
(Shel Silverstein)