# Pretend Play in 1 year old



## J2 (Aug 12, 2006)

DS is 15mos. For a couple of months now he seems to be having some pretend play already. Do toddlers normally start pretending this early? He pretends like he is eating something. Pretends like he is chewing. I didn't think pretend play came until later.


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## EVC (Jan 29, 2006)

Mine loved pretend play at that age (and still does). Pretending to eat and drink (putting an empty cup to her lips, throwing her head back, then letting out a big "ahhhhh!" while smacking her lips







) , pretending to feed her doll, then putting her doll to sleep by covering her with a blanket and patting her back saying "shhhhhh" (so cute to watch







: ), etc.

So yes! Perfectly on track in my opinion


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## North_Of_60 (May 30, 2006)

DD does the pretending to eat something, but I think it's more about "watch mommy run after me because she's grossed out that I eat dog food and is paranoid I'm snacking on kibble, and therefore we get to chase around the kitchen" more then actually pretending for her own entertainment. I'm positive her pretend eating is because of the reaction she gets when I think she has gotten into the dog food again.


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## WhaleinGaloshes (Oct 9, 2006)

My DD started pretend-eating around her first birthday, too. The first time I noticed was actually around 11 months when she would pretend to 'drink' from a play cup...holding it to her lips and making the exaggerated 'slurp' sound, then holding it out to me to do the same. Most of her pretend play still revolves around eating and setting the table etc. at 22 months.

I have a niece who is three who at 16 months (I remember the visit and her age specifically) would feed, burp and the then lay her baby-dolls down for a nap, push them in the swing etc. She has always had an affinity for dolls and doll play...she would set up her dollhouse and the little people in it well before she was two.

So much fun.


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## musemor (Mar 19, 2004)

I was surprised when my daughter started with the imagination play, too. I remember right around her first birthday, she pretended that one of her stacking rings was a bowl and a cylinder-shaped block was a spoon. She pretended to eat, and then offered us "bites." I could hardly believe it! Now (at 17 mos) she's engaged in pretend play constantly. I think some kids are just into it earlier!


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## nighten (Oct 18, 2005)

Yep, our 15 month old has been doing it for a few months now too. It totally took me by surprise, but she started with pretending to drink from a toy cup. I'm not sure it's very uncommon -- maybe some babies do it but their parents don't realize it? I don't know. Either way, I'm thrilled, as I hope she'll have a very active imagination. We encourage it a lot too, though. It's just so much fun to see them engaged like that.


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## millionmom (Oct 30, 2005)

I think my DS started to dothat around then to - he was around older kids doing it so I think that's why he caught on!


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## stlmomof2 (Mar 30, 2006)

Alex started pretending with dolls at around 14 months--carrying them around, putting blankets on them, laying them down, putting them on the potty. It's so cool to watch the pretending becoming more complicated. Now sometimes when she needs to pee, she says that her baby needs to pee. And she talks in an even more high pitched voice than normal in order to become the mother and baby dolls talking to each other ("Mommy!" "Baby!") and then she makes them kiss.


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## Jazzmin (Jun 29, 2006)

I agree with PP, watching your little one engaged in imaginative play is cute. I did not realize that young children (under 2) engaged in imaginative play. My 15 month old will take anything that rolls and turn it into a car, using motor sounds and all. He is really into tings that go vroom.


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## kaliki_kila (Aug 16, 2005)

I have seen a barely 12-month-old "walk" a toy horse on the ground and say "neigh neigh." It's amazing how early it starts!


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## trueblue4 (Jan 10, 2007)

I'm soooo jealous! My dc is 23 months and hardly does any imaginative play. I'm at a loss of what to do. nothing seems to work. All she wants is hugs and kisses and to be held.


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## nighten (Oct 18, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *trueblue4* 
I'm soooo jealous! My dc is 23 months and hardly does any imaginative play. I'm at a loss of what to do. nothing seems to work. All she wants is hugs and kisses and to be held.









mama. Don't feel bad. It's not a competition. Some little ones do things earlier than others, some do them later, but as long as we give them the hugs, kisses, comfort, and encouragement they need, that's what counts!

Don't beat yourself up over your toddler not being gung-ho into imaginative play yet. It'll happen. Does she play with dolls, dollhouses, play kitchens, pots and pans, cups, that sort of thing? Those are all imaginative play! Do you read stories to her? Make things up! Use your own imagination when interacting with her. You can try initiating pretend play if you want to encourage her to do the same.







But in the end, just loving her is a wonderful thing. So try not to be discouraged if you can. And following her lead is a great way to go.


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## Yodergoat (Jun 20, 2006)

Gail is also 15 months and has been an avid "pretender" since she was just under a year. It really surprised me, too... it seems like most things I read said not to expect that until later. I think her first imaginative play involved "talking" on the phone... but it was a remote control. She seemed to realize it was something funny to do. Now she pretends to eat and drink and feeds invisible bites, talks on real or toy phones, "writes" very studiously on paper with closed ink pens, takes care of her baby doll (nursing, putting in blankets), makes small objects into cars that go v-v-v-v-v, and most of all... loves to "read." Either to herself, just mouthing unintelligible words, or aloud. If she has a hymn book open in front of her, she usually sings. She's not patient enough to sit through an entire book with us, but will read for a long time by herself.

It's fun to hear what other kids her age like to do!

-Shawna


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## zmom (Jun 29, 2005)

That was about the age that my DD started putting her babies "nite-nite." At nearly 3 years old now, it's still one of her favorite activities. I was surprised that it started so young too.


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