Pretend play helps kids express their feelings and develop language skills, and it provides opportunities for social development. Children should direct themselves to get the most out of imaginative play, but you can help jumpstart their creativity with the perfect gift. Read below to find the best pretend play toys for your child this Christmas.
Play Kitchens and Food
When adults cook, children watch, and they're excited to mimic cooking actions in their own pint-sized space. A play kitchen is a safe place for kids to play and test their budding chef skills as well as their fine motor skills. Be sure to stock your child's kitchen with play food to increase his or her interaction, imagination, and fun.
Kids' Workbenches and Tools
Kids love feeling handy and helpful. Having their own workbench allows them to "build" amazing things with tools that look like the tools in the garage. Handling toy tools like hammers and screwdrivers increases coordination and confidence and makes children feel as if they're just like the grown-ups.
Kids' Cleaning Sets
Domestic duties may seem mundane to you, but to a young child, they provide a chance to do the things he or she sees you do all the time. Pretending to work like Mom or Dad while pushing a toy vacuum, ironing clothes, or cleaning windows allows children to feel like they're helping.
Dress Up
From superhero capes to glittery princess gowns, kids playing dress up is an important part of childhood. When children use their imagination, they're also developing a myriad of other academic and emotional skills. Taking on a different identity in creative play is not only fun, but it also encourages problem solving, socialization, and empathy.
Playhouses and Play Tents
It's a big world, especially when you're small. Kids' playhouses provide a perfectly proportioned space for creative and imaginative play, and they offer a place for little ones to call their own. Play tents and teepees also provide personal retreats for children but are lightweight and mobile, which is a bonus for the parents who have to set them up.
Holiday Gift Specialist
Even during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, Cindy loves thinking of the perfect gift for the people in her life. When she's not shopping, Cindy enjoys spending time with her family, creating a cozy home, and wrapping presents while watching the BBC.
