On Make-Believing and Pretend Play

As a child, I never once imagined I would become a teacher. If you had asked me what my ambition was, I would have answered it differently every single time, but not once do I recall saying I wanted to teach. I would play dress up and pretend I would be my future self: from my mom’s white blazers as lab coats to lugging around her leather briefcase in pretense that I was a lawyer, I did it all. I even wore tutu’s that were too small for me and imagined I would become a prima ballerina! Whatever it was, I was allowed to explore and try them out. Pretend play and make believe are important learning tools for children that should be harnessed and encouraged. Be it playing with a Barbie doll or wearing high heels, these should not be criticized, limited or ridiculed.

What if it’s a boy who wants to play with a doll, you might ask? Well, the typical response is an adamant “NO!”, right? However, check out the story WILLIAM’S DOLL by Charlotte Zolotow and you might have a new take on it

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