In the December 2014 Parent and Child article “The Power of Pretend Play” Dr. Rubin provides her expertise regarding children’s imagination and the importance of pretend play.
Excerpt from article:
“My 4-year-old son is Spider-Man today. Yesterday he was Wolverine. Last week he was a chef, a firefighter, and a train conductor. Whether he’s hurdling over molten lava, battling a bad guy, or saving a baby, watching him spin his scenarios always gives me the warm fuzzies. For all the enjoyment I get from his costume changes, however, the perks for my little guy are even greater. “Fantasy play is a critical skill builder: It helps children better understand the world around them,” says Laura Rubin, Ph.D., a pediatric neuropsychologist at the Portsmouth Neuropsychology Center in New Hampshire. It also adds significantly to a kid’s overall development, building language skills and storytelling chops and strengthening the ability to solve problems more creatively.”
Full article:
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/parent-child/power-pretend-play
