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Imagination

Imagination is the ability to let go of reality, to make things up, to conjure up a different time and place, and to create people, their interactions, and emotions within a narrative. Imagination occurs at all ages, beginning at about the age of 2 years. An early sign of the emergence of imagination is, for example, when a child playing with a block claims that it is a truck. Imagination enables one to anticipate the future; however, it is usually invoked in a daydreaming manner, involving imagery that is illogical and not tied to the rules of logical thought. In these contexts, all things are possible. As imagination develops, it is important in many domains of creativity. This entry covers the development and role of imagination throughout the life span.

Pretend Play: First Signs of Imagination

Pretend play involves imagining events, acting them out, using objects to represent other things, and expressing emotions. Pretend play can be engaged in by children from about 3 to 10 years of age, with other children, adults, or by themselves. Children in most cultures engage in pretend play, and it is typically an enjoyable experience for children. Thus, pretend play is self-reinforcing; children are likely to return to pretend play because it is a positive, pleasurable experience.

Nonhuman animals also engage in pretend play, leading many scholars to think that play is rehearsal for adult activities that are necessary for survival. For example, play fighting prepares wolves for actual fighting in adulthood, and in primates, pretend play may help develop cognitive flexibility. Similarly, pretend play in human children may also serve to prepare for adult activities (e.g., practicing adult roles while playing dress up).

Using imagination in play requires the manipulation of mental images, memories, and emotion-laden images and fantasies. This mental activity allows for practice with cognitive functions related to problem-solving. Pretend play also involves accessing, expressing, and modulating emotions. Many play stories involve happiness (getting presents), worry (getting a shot), aggression (fighting/wrestling), sadness (losing a toy), or affection (soothing a doll). Children learn to process emotions and feel comfortable with a range of emotions and emotion-laden thoughts, fantasies, and images.

Pretend Play, Imagination, and Creativity

Imagination and pretend play are linked to creativity in that pretend play is a creative act that is based on imagination. Children start from scratch to generate ideas and stories; they often draw on stories they have heard or seen on television or events from daily life, choosing what to use and recombine and what emotions to integrate into the play narrative.

Most research studies on play and creativity have used measures of creativity to investigate the link between play and aspects of imagination. The ability to use imagination in play is associated with other types of imagination in other venues and creativity. For example, children who express more imagination in play tell more creative stories, are rated by their teachers as more imaginative in the classroom, and self-report having an imaginative play predisposition. Children who use imagination in play are also more likely to have imaginary friends.

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