5-year-old Pretend play

Pause to watch your little one play and you may notice a new level of complexity taking hold. The imagination of an older 5-year-old is a wonder to behold.

In dramatic play, for example, with dolls or friends playing dress-up, plots become more twisted and characters more well-rounded with complicated relationships to one another.

Your little one can better predict how people will act and include observations of what she sees happening around her. This kind of play nurtures growing social skills. Kids learn everything from negotiation to conflict resolution and compromise.

Research also shows that make-believe play helps kids learn to self-regulate. When they play, they often talk to themselves about what’s going to happen and how they’re going to react. They’re “rehearsing” real life.

These are skills that can’t be developed while sitting in front of a computer or TV screen, and they’re crucial. In fact, a child’s ability to manage her emotions and impulses is more important than IQ in predicting success in school. Kids learn better when they have self-control.