‘Hello, who is it?’ The amazing learning opportunities in pretend play

As American comedian Dave Chappelle says, “No matter how old you are, if a little kid hands you a toy phone... you answer it.”  

Now, you might need to work out it’s a phone first, as your toddler is starting to understand that we can pretend an object is something else! But why is this such an amazing step in your toddler’s development?  

When your toddler pretends their wooden block is a phone, they’re showing that they can manipulate information and that this pretending can be shared. 

We think that’s quite impressive, but if you’re not convinced, here’s what your toddler is showing they know when they pass you that ‘phone’...  

They can think about thinking  

Pretending is a step towards metacognition (thinking about thinking), which is an important part of learning.  

They can think about other people’s thinking too 

They’re not only thinking differently about an object, but understanding that those around them can do the same.  

They know the words you use can support their imagination  

When your toddler hands you their ‘phone’, you will probably say something that shows you share their idea that this block really is a phone!  

Reference: 

Leslie, A.M. (1987) Pretense and representation: The origins of ‘theory of mind’. Psychological Review 94, 412-426.