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Make-Believe Stage
Once a toddler starts combining words together and understands the meaning of his phrases and short sentences, make-believe stage becomes a big part and has a huge influence in the behavioral and thinking development of children. According to Vygotsky, a Russian Child Psychologist, “ Make-believe play creates a zone of proximal development in a child. In play, the child always behaves beyond his average age, above his daily behavior; in play it is as though he were a head taller than himself. As in the focus of a magnifying glass, play contains all developmental tendencies in condensed form and is itself a major source of development.”
Vygotsky concluded that make-believe has two features that is unique from other childhood activities. First: During this stage, children learn that words, gestures, body languages, and other symbols are distinct from external reality. Once they realize this skill, they begin using words and gestures as effective mental tools for communication calling on them to overcome impulses. Children have learned to separate internal ideas from the objects and events for which they represent. Second: Make-believe is rule-based governed by the family, community, and social values and experience. Children strive to conform their behavior in line with social expectation and embed rules of the community.
With these two unique complementary ingredients, fantasy or make-believe plays a huge role in the development of self-regulation which can extend through teens and adult period.
Parents and other primary care givers should take advantage of fantasy plays that can start from the second birthday to about six years old. They should make these fantasy plays as positive and fun as possible. Parents should use their best imagination to create make-believe scenes that can make a child happy, respectful, considerate, and productive.
Researcher Kathleen Kirby studied 2 to 4 year children in a day-care center and found that they spent 45% to 50% of free choice periods immersed in make-believe, nearly twice as much time as they did to any other activity. At my office, I always find young children creating fantasy tower and castle made of Lego and Mega Bloks on the floor of our examining room. They are so proud of their handiwork when I come in.
Mary, 4 year old, while doing a coloring book: I want to color my house pink.
Father: Is that your favorite color?
Mary: Yes, and green too.
Father: If you have a pink and green house, I think your mom will like it.
Mary: When I am big, I will wait for the school bus in front of this house.
Father: When you finish high school, I bet you’ll go to college.
Mary: What is college dad?
Father: College is a bigger school that makes you smarter.
Leo Leonidas, MD, FAAP, Assistant Clinical Professor in Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston; Attending Pediatrician, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, Maine
Please send my your suggestions and comments to improve this site:
lleonidas@pcpediatrics.org
I wrote and designed this website for parents of our practice. Before you use ideas from this website, please discuss it first with your clinician if you are not with our practice.
copyright Leo Leonidas 2003
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