5 ways to build your child’s language skills through pretend play

Pretend play is about more than just play—experts say it can be one of the best ways to get your 2-year-old talking. Research shows that children who participate in more pretend play have larger vocabularies and stronger communication skills. Why? Imaginative play encourages them—and you—to say new words and phrases as you act out scenarios together. 

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Try these tips to boost language skills as you play pretend with your toddler:

1. Use vivid language

If your child is cleaning a mirror using the Squeaky Clean Squeegee Set from The Enthusiast Play Kit, you can say, “The mirror is so dirty,” “This spot is sticky,” or “Oh no! You got all wet!”

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2. Ask “wh-” questions

Ask your child who, what, and where to encourage them to think critically and use language to express their thoughts. If your child is pretending to be a firefighter, try saying, “There’s a fire. What do we need? We need…water! Let’s get water!”

3. Start a story—and let your child finish

For example, you could say, “Once upon a time, there was a magical unicorn who loved to explore. Where did the unicorn go?”

4. Change the words to a familiar song

When your child is washing the dishes in the Super Sustainable Sink from The Helper Play Kit, sing to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”—“It’s time to wash the plates, it’s time to wash the plates, the plates are dirty and need a bath, it’s time to wash the plates.”

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The Helper Play Kit (Months 25-27)

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5. Encourage role play

When your child pretends to be someone else—like a mom or dad—they have to think about what the character would say or do. They might pretend to grab their coat and purse to leave the house, imitate you on a work call, or mimic how you browse and shop at the grocery store. Role playing encourages them to repeat words they’ve heard.

Learn more about the research

Weisberg, D. S., Zosh, J. M., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2013). Talking it up: play, language development, and the role of adult support. American Journal of Play, 6(1), 39-54.Yogman, M., Garner, A., Hutchinson, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Baum, R., et al. (2018). The power of play: A pediatric role in enhancing development in young children. Pediatrics, 142(3).