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Pretend Games for Kids

When children use their own imagination, it exercises their creativity and allows them to explore new worlds. By using relatively simple materials, a child&'s world transforms into a dream. Role-playing has proven to be a favorite activity among children. Children enjoy taking on different occupations for pretend and recreating the world in which that occupation is played out. Simple household activities, such as cooking or cleaning, also provide a chance for the child to use things that aren&'t usually accessible to him or her (like hot stoves or vacuum cleaners).

Building A Construction Site
- Building their own city delights children who are fond of construction sites.
  
  Gather cardboard boxes of all sizes. Allow the child to draw windows and doors on the front of the boxes. The boxes could look like skyscrapers or homes. Set up the boxes around the play area. The child can then use small cars or trucks to simulate a city. Cars can drive up and down the pretend street in front of the box city or can be used to tear down the skyscrapers, if you are using construction vehicles. Add a hard hat to your child&'s head for even more fun.
Make Their Own Restaurant
- Mixing and stirring in the kitchen to prepare a meal for the child&'s restaurant.
  
  Use the kitchen for this game. Have the child draw menus and place mats for use at the pretend restaurant. Pull out safe kitchen utensils such as plastic mixing bowls and plastic whisks for your child to use. The child will take your order on a pad of paper. Use play dough or cut-out magazine pictures for the pretend food. Your child will prepare the meal with the utensils, then serve it in an apron. A cash register can also be used with pretend money for paying the bill.
Playing You
- Children pretending to be their parents gives an opportunity for the parent to see how the child perceives him or her.
  
  Gather all the items that sum up your persona: a favorite shirt, a cell phone, a pocketbook, a briefcase, etc. Make an appointment with your child to visit "Pretend You". Your child will dress up in your favorite things and pretend that he or she is you. Ask questions about yourself. Take pictures of "Pretend You" for a magazine cover. Take "Pretend You" out to lunch, in your kitchen. Have an entire day with "Pretend You" as the special guest of honor.

Kids Games