Tag Archives: make believe

Behind Every Good Man…

Recently I wrote about 87 year old volunteer, Cyril Brown. Don’t you wonder what this guy would be like in a marriage? Would he be so involved with others that he doesn’t have time or make time for his spouse? Or would he be the kind of guy who helps out at home and is looking for ways to serve his wife? It made me wonder. We’ve heard the adage about ‘behind every good man there’s a good woman.’ Is it true in this case? Maybe Cyril hasn’t got a wife. That’s why he spends so much time helping others. … Continue reading →

How Old is TOO Old For Imaginary Friends?

There is no rule that says that children HAVE to have invisible or imaginary friends, but if they do, many will have them when they are 3 or 4 years old. It is fairly common for parents to worry about whether it is “normal” to have invisible/imaginary friends and to worry even more if this type of fantasy play continues into the elementary school years. Only one of my three children ever had an imaginary friend (that we knew about) and she was pretty developmentally on-target. If I remember correctly, it was from about the age of 4 until the … Continue reading →

Plenty of Pretending

Fantasy play is so important in the development of young minds—but children tend to go in stages. As the parent, you may notice that pretending, make-believe, and fantasy play tends to come and go in stages and phases. Just when you think your seven or eight year old has outgrown pretending, it will reappear in the play of a nine-year-old. Different children have different ways of playing pretend—but it is normal and a key developmental way of learning and processing the world. Some children like to play dress-up and have the dramatic pretend play, while others prefer to do what … Continue reading →

Do Disney Princesses Hurt Self-Image in Little Girls?

Has your little girl ever dressed up like a Disney Princess? Mine has. She had a box of play clothes at age three that included outfits for Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. For her third Halloween, she dressed up in a red Belle (from Beauty in the Beast) gown and called herself the Princess Cassidy. For fourth Halloween, she dressed up in a yellow Belle dress in order to be Belle herself. She loves to play dress up, she loves to play Princess and whether that princess is Jasmine, Aurora, Cinderella, Tinker Bell or other, she loves to become … Continue reading →

Put Together a Dress-Up Wardrobe

Does your little princess love to play dress up? Help her put together a stylish, size appropriate dress up wardrobe and she’ll have hours of fun making and wearing these outfits and accessories. Every celebrity needs a fur stole (faux fur of course), and your little star is no exception. Go to your favorite craft store, fabric store, or the craft section of a super center, and pick up faux fur strips. They have several varieties and colors, which only cost a few dollars. You can also find packages that contain an assortment of faux furs for just a few … Continue reading →