Anyone can pretend play.

Children without brothers or sisters. Children with brothers and sisters.
Children with developmental or physical challenges.
Children in cities, suburbs, rural areas.

Teenagers can play pretend. Even adults can pretend play!

Here are five surprising ways anyone can play pretend.

Children play pretend naturally. Especially from ages 2-10. Give them the time and some props or dress up clothes, and let them use their imagination!

We know pretend play is an important developmental phase to encourage. We also know that parents do not have to play pretend with their child all day long. It’s okay for children to play by themselves! If you are interested, you can read the history of this child rearing philosophy here.

Give a child a cape or fairy wings, and they can create hours of pretend play!

Playing dress up can help kids with empathy and emotional development, including kids with ADHD or autism.

2. Anyone can play pretend by copying art

It’s more like dress-up, than playing in an imaginary world. But it is a great creative outlet for all ages!

It’s called the @TussenKunstenQuarantaine. A woman in the Netherlands, bored during the COVID-19 quarantine, challenged her friends to recreate famous works of art using only three items lying around home. You can see creative pretend play from people of all ages around the world on her Instagram and Facebook pages. You should submit one, too!

Mona lisa. a teenager in 2020, and the original in 1503.

3. Teens and adults can do battle. Just for pretend, of course!

Do you have someone in your house with extra energy? Sports are always a good outlet. But pretend play battles are also fun, in an adult way.

4. Acting for fun is a great way anyone can play pretend!

you have to be fast and expressive to win playing heads up!

Improv comedy classes
Dramatic exaggerated reading of children books.
Even home games like Pictionary, charades, and Heads-Up reward pretend play.

5. Cosplay is costume play for anyone!

Costumes for an event - these Pac Man ghosts are kids holding umbrellas with fabric over them!
Costumes for a photo - these Japanese teen girls saved their money to buy a photo session in historic kimonos!
Costumes for daily life - some people choose vintage every day!