Better pretend play in toddlers links to fewer emotional problems later, and this connection is not explained by emotional ...

Can pretend play prevent childhood anxiety? Research finds that imaginative toddlers have fewer behavioral issues in primary school.

Pretend play isn’t just fun—it’s a powerful tool for your child’s growth. From sparking creativity to building empathy and problem-solving skills, it shapes social, emotional, and cognitive ...

From developing social skills to fostering creativity, pretend play in young children is likened to being a "metaphoric multivitamin" in an editorial published in the journal Neuroscience and ...

For children, rocks can be spaceships. Pens can be fairies. And this kind of play can help protect mental health in childhood ...

A University of Sydney study tracking over 1,400 Australian children found that toddlers with strong pretend play skills were less likely to face emotional and behavioral issues in primary school. The ...

“Let’s pretend to be…” is commonly heard from young children as they play and interact at school, daycare, or at home. Many adults encourage imagination and creativity but others are afraid that ...

Children who demonstrate pretend play ability as toddlers have significantly fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties at primary school, according to a new interdisciplinary University of Sydney ...

As the school year revs up, a renowned child developmental psychologist highlights the robust benefits of pretend play on cognitive, social, and emotional development in children and cautions how ...