Simple pretend play: how the skill grows from 12 to 36 months
Simple pretend play means pretending with toys and everyday things: feeding a teddy, talking into a toy phone, using a block as a sandwich. Pretend play grows imagination and language, and lets a child try out what they see adults do.
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Simple pretend play: the ladder, step by step
Pick the step that looks most like your child today. The next step and activities that practise it appear below.
No step picked yet. There is no wrong answer: pick the closest one.
Next step: Pretends on a toy. Holds a spoon to teddy's mouth.
Activities that fit this step
- Gentle Hands for Teddy · 12–18 months · 3–6 min
- Push-the-Box Train · 12–20 months · 5–10 min
- Teddy's Snack Time · 12–20 months · 3–8 min
Next step: Combines toys. Lays pretend food on a plate and offers it to you.
Activities that fit this step
- Teddy Needs Help · 14–21 months · 5–10 min
- Stir the Pretend Soup · 14–24 months · 5–10 min
- Teddy's Blanket Ride · 14–24 months · 4–10 min
Next step: Lets one thing stand for another. Holds a block to the ear and says "hello".
Activities that fit this step
- Teddy Goodnight Hugs · 16–26 months · 4–8 min
- Teddy's Cardboard Box Car · 17–27 months · 5–12 min
- Teddy Wash, Dry and Tuck-In · 18–28 months · 5–10 min
Next step: Pretends with a partner. "Cooks" for you, hands you the plate and waits for you to eat.
Activities that fit this step
- Cardboard Garage Parking Talk · 21–32 months · 5–15 min
- Teddy Is Sad: Comfort Game · 22–32 months · 4–8 min
- Cushion Stepping Stones · 24–32 months · 5–10 min
Top of the ladder (pretends with a partner). Keep it flexible: offer it in a new place, with a different person or with new materials.
Activities that fit this step
- Under, Over, Through Car Roads · 25–35 months · 8–15 min
- Slow-Motion Animal Walk · 26–36 months · 3–8 min
- Knock-Knock Box House · 27–36 months · 5–15 min
The simple pretend play ladder
5 steps from the first sign to a flexible skill, covered here from 12 to 36 months. Children move at their own pace: use the steps to see what comes next, not as deadlines.
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Pretends on self
Pretends to drink from an empty cup and smacks the lips.
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Pretends on a toy
Holds a spoon to teddy's mouth.
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Combines toys
Lays pretend food on a plate and offers it to you.
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Lets one thing stand for another
Holds a block to the ear and says "hello".
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Pretends with a partner
"Cooks" for you, hands you the plate and waits for you to eat.
When simple pretend play usually shows up
Hugging a doll or stuffed animal is a CDC 15-month milestone; playing with more than one toy at the same time, like putting toy food on a plate, is a 24-month milestone; and pretending one thing is another, such as feeding a block to a doll, is a 30-month milestone.
This page follows simple pretend play from 12 to 36 months, a window that spans the 12-month, 15-month, 18-month, 24-month, 30-month and 36-month CDC checklists.
In the library, 19 activities practise simple pretend play (3 as their main skill), for ages 12 to 36 months. 8 of them need no prep and take 10 minutes or less. By age, they sit closest to steps 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the 5-step ladder.
Related items appear on the CDC checklists for 15 months, 24 months and 30 months.
Related milestones
CDC checklist items (paraphrased) that involve simple pretend play. Checklists are for monitoring, not a test.
| Checklist | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 15 months | Gives a doll or stuffed animal a hug. |
| 24 months | Combines two toys in play, such as setting pretend food on a toy plate. |
| 30 months | Lets one thing stand in for another in pretend play, like offering a block to a doll as if it were food. |
Activities that practise simple pretend play
Placed on the closest ladder step by age. By primary domain: 5 creativity & pretend, 4 gross motor, 3 language, 3 social-emotional, 2 early concepts, 1 cognitive and 1 practical life. Quickest to start: Gentle Hands for Teddy (3–6 minutes).
Step 1: Pretends on self
Step 2: Pretends on a toy
Step 3: Combines toys
Skills practised alongside
The activities for simple pretend play most often also work on imitating actions (4), showing affection (4), pushing and pulling (3), balancing (2) and noticing others' feelings (2). Pairing them keeps practice playful: one activity, several skills.
Practise it inside everyday routines
- Join the pretend: eat the pretend soup, rock the doll, answer the toy phone.
- Keep simple props within reach: cups, spoons, a small blanket, a box.
- Copy your child's pretend action first, then add one new idea, like blowing on the soup.
What to avoid
- Running the whole game yourself; follow your child's lead and add, rather than direct.
When to mention it to the pediatrician
If by 30 months your child does not pretend at all, for example never feeds a doll or pretends to talk on a phone, mention it to the pediatrician.
Worried about simple pretend play between visits? Call the pediatrician; CDC's free resources also explain how to contact your local Early Intervention program directly. Milestones are for monitoring, not diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
When do toddlers start simple pretend play?
Hugging a doll or stuffed animal is a CDC 15-month milestone; playing with more than one toy at the same time, like putting toy food on a plate, is a 24-month milestone; and pretending one thing is another, such as feeding a block to a doll, is a 30-month milestone. The first step to look for: pretends to drink from an empty cup and smacks the lips.
How can I help my toddler with simple pretend play?
Join the pretend: eat the pretend soup, rock the doll, answer the toy phone. Keep simple props within reach: cups, spoons, a small blanket, a box. A good first activity is Gentle Hands for Teddy (12–18 months).
What should I avoid when practising simple pretend play?
Running the whole game yourself; follow your child's lead and add, rather than direct.
When should I mention simple pretend play to the pediatrician?
If by 30 months your child does not pretend at all, for example never feeds a doll or pretends to talk on a phone, mention it to the pediatrician. You can also contact Early Intervention yourself.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.