Why pretend play is the most important thing your child can do

Your child picks up a doll, gives her a name, and disappears into a story for an hour.

It looks like play. It is actually one of the most powerful things their brain can do.

Pretend play is backed by decades of child development research as one of the single most valuable activities in early childhood. And yet it is one of the first things to get squeezed out by screens, schedules and structured activities. Here is what the science says, and why it matters more than most parents realise.

It builds early literacy before they can read a single word

When a child plays pretend, they are not just making things up. They are building a story, a beginning, a middle and an end. They are practising the same story structure that underlies reading, writing and communication for the rest of their lives.

Research from the American Journal of Play found that children who engage in regular imaginative play develop stronger oral language skills, larger vocabularies and more sophisticated narrative abilities than children who do not. These are the foundations of literacy. Built not through flashcards or worksheets. But through a child saying and then she went on an adventure and she made a new friend.

It develops empathy and emotional intelligence

When your child plays pretend, they take on a role. They become the character. They make decisions from someone else's perspective.

This is the earliest form of empathy development. The ability to understand that other people have thoughts and feelings different from your own. Psychologists call this theory of mind, and pretend play is one of the primary ways young children develop it.

Children who play pretend regularly show greater cooperation, stronger social skills and better conflict resolution. Skills that matter enormously in school and in life.

It builds problem-solving and creative thinking

Every pretend scenario is a problem to solve. Where does the story go? What happens when something goes wrong? How does the character find her way through?

Children in imaginative play are constantly making decisions, adapting to unexpected twists and finding creative solutions. A 2020 study from the University of Colorado found that children given more time for unstructured imaginative play showed significantly better executive function. The cognitive skills that underpin focus, planning and self-regulation.

How to encourage it at home

You do not need elaborate setups or expensive equipment. Pretend play needs three things. Time, space and a prompt.

A doll with a name and a personality is one of the most powerful pretend play prompts there is. When a child has a character they can inhabit and develop. A friend with her own story, her own interests, her own world. The play goes deeper, lasts longer and builds more.

Research on character-based play shows that children develop richer narratives, stronger emotional engagement and more complex language when they play with dolls that feel real and relatable to them.

The Salam Sisters were made for this

Each Salam Sisters doll has her own name, her own personality and her own story. Each one a springboard for a different kind of story. For every girl who deserves a doll she can genuinely see herself in.

And while you are here, download this month's free Salam Sisters colouring sheets. Meet all five characters on paper first. Free to print at home.