“I’m a Jedi pirate!” my 3-year-old squealed with a sword in one hand and a lightsaber in the other. “And I’m a pirate chef!” shouted his big brother while wearing a tall white hat and an eye patch. “What kind of pirate are you, Mama?” I paused, “Uh… I’m a napping pirate. Instead of ‘Arr,’ I say ‘Zzz!” I then curled up on the floor and let them pretend to tie me up to get ready to walk the plank.
Why does playing pretend with kids have to be so important in these first few years when moms are sleep deprived? Creativity isn’t my parenting forte even when I’m well rested. I’m more the practical type—you know, sorting and coloring between the lines. If your little one is begging you to play pretend and you struggle to get the creative juices flowing, too, here are 4 practical ways to meet that need and have a good time doing it. For real.
1. Combine pretend play with real work.
Your daughter wants to play princess tea party, but you still live in a world with real dishes and many are sitting in the sink, dirty. When you’re making your own real cup of coffee, instead of having her color or watch a cartoon, invite her over to the counter for a morning coffee chat. Put out placemats, have her grab a teacup from her collection, pour her some milk, and use your best Downton Abbey-style accent.
Think of all the activities you do in a day—cleaning, cooking, driving the car—and allow your child to be part of your world with a toy broom, mixer, or steering wheel. Add an element of fantasy (“Those dust bunnies are hopping away! Offer one a carrot!”) to make it fun. Just being with you while you do your mom duties will make your child feel loved and important.
2. Follow his lead.
When you’re low on energy and imagination, playing pretend with kids can feel like you’re sitting in a semi-truck stuck in neutral. When my sons would say they wanted to “play dinosaurs together” and dump an entire plastic tub of dinos out, I’d often sit there, staring at the pile, not sure how to get the fun started.
Then one day, I said, “I wonder what the dinosaurs would do if they came alive at night.” I let my boys talk and narrate different scenes. I just had to affirm their ideas and mimic what they were doing. Hearing me say, “Roar! I’m eating all the green army men!” gave them confidence that I liked their ideas, and I got off the hook for coming up with the wild scenarios.
3. Ask questions.
Next time your daughter is driving Barbie’s convertible on the moon and you’re not quite sure if Ken is enjoying the weightlessness or he’s ready to head back to Earth, try just playing along by asking questions. “What kind of gas did Barbie put in the car to get it all the way to the moon? Will Ken wash the convertible when they get home?”
Asking silly questions while playing pretend with kids will help them think even more creatively and show you’re interested in what they’re doing. Most of the time, when our kids invite us to play pretend with them, they’re really just expressing a desire for us to be present and attentive.
Most of the time, when our kids invite us to play pretend with them, they’re really just expressing a desire for us to be present and attentive. Click To Tweet4. Build a fort.
It doesn’t get much better (or easier) than building a fort. If you’ve got no brain power left, pull out a stack of blankets, sheets, clips, and rubber bands, and set the stage. “We need a sturdy fort to protect us from the invading army of pizza monsters!”
A fort is the perfect make-believe tool because it creates a setting, is easy to clean up, and often leads to cuddles. Sure, the construction part is less creative, but once your fort is built, you might just get to lie down.
What’s your trick for playing pretend with kids when you’re too tired or not feeling creative?
