Pretend play, also known as imaginative play, is play that uses the imagination and develops a child’s social, language and cognitive skills. Kids love to play pretend. They especially love playing anything that allows them to be grown-up and do and act as grown-ups do. Take a look at these fun pretend play ideas for kids. Choose one from this list and customize it with your own idea. Your kids don’t need to go on fancy vacations to have fun. They can stay home and pretend play for days.
DIY Boat Toy Made From Laundry Basket. Turn the laundry basket into a boat and it would make the best toy. source
Vet’s Office Pretend Play. Kids always had so much fun taking care of animals and you would be amazed at all learning that took place in the dramatic play area. source
DIY Dinosaur Feet Stilts. It would be fun to make some old school stilts into cool looking dinosaur feet. Super easy and lots of roaring, stomping fun. source
Cardboard Cafe. A great pretend play set up for store or restaurant which were always among kids’ favorites. source
DIY Cardboard Cash Register. Does your child enjoy going to the grocery store and watching the cashier scan items? Then this cardboard cash register craft is right up your alley. A great project for kids which involves painting and building movable, interactive components. source
DIY Farm Story Stones. Cute farm play toys for toddlers and preschoolers. Great for pretend play, fine motor skills, and language development. source
Post Office Pretend Play. Setting up a Post Office is a fun way to learn all about names, reading, and writing. It makes those reading and writing activities relate to the real life. source
Train Tracks Small World in a Cardboard Box. Perfect rainy afternoon fun pretend play set up which encourages creativity and imagination. source
Turn an old dresser into a child’s kitchen play set. source
Pizza Box Airport With Working Landing Lights. Kids got so much joy from making and playing this pretend play toy. source
Cardboard Pizza. This pretend play pizza project has so many possibilities for learning as you play: language, writing, math, imagination, sensory and lots of fun. source
Dramatic Play Airplane. Turn your cardboard box into an airplane craft. Cool idea for transportation theme dramatic play area. source
Baskets of Medical Tools for Dramatic Play Hospital Center. Kids learn so much as they negotiate their roles, discuss their health issues, use new vocabulary and interact with each other. source
Pretend Play Ice Cream Store. Doesn’t the playdough ice cream look real? These ice creams do not melt and you can use it more than once. source
Cardboard Cookies for Dramatic Play Center. Decorate the cardboard circles with various craft supplies. Kids enjoy making them and opening up a cookie shop to sell them. So easy and fun. source
Cardboard Castle for Pretend Play. source
Story Cups for Light Play. What a fun idea for light table storytelling or pretend play. source
Library Pretend Play. What a fun way to play with books for kids. source
Science Lab Pretend Play. A cool science project idea for kids. It is so easy to do because all you really need is water and a few kitchen tools. source
Rescue the Alphabet Game. A fun way to combine firefighter pretend play and learning. Kids will work on letter recognition, letter sounds and even gross motor skills while pretending to be a firefighter. It’s a great activity for preschool community helpers theme or fire safety theme lesson plans. source
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