Posted on July 7, 2009 in Latest News
Imaginary friends are a product of Children’s imagination, usually seen between the ages 3 to 7 years. Although an imaginary friend may sound strange, psychologists report that many kids have imaginary friends. The good news is that children outgrow their imaginary friendship after age 6 or 7.
An Imaginary friend can be a person, such as a boy or a girl or an animal such a dinosaur or a tiger. Kids make up names for the imaginary friends. Children speak or play with their imaginary friends. A talk with the child can reveal the imaginary aspect of the child’s friends.
Many may feel that imaginary friends indicate emotional or psychological in children. However, research shows that kids having imaginary friends have better communication skills, social skills and imagination.
Imaginary Friends in Children: Causes
Why do children have imaginary friends? Companionship is the primary reason for imaginary friends. An imaginary friend provides constant companionship. Other reason for an imaginary friend is pretense play. A pretense play is an activity taken up by the child to gain control of the situation. As children have little or no control of situations, they try to take up roles to give orders to their imaginary friends.
Although psychologists and psychiatrists see no problem in children-imaginary friends phenomenon, parents might be worried. We all know that real friends are much better than imaginary ones. What parents can do is to introduce their kids to real friendships.
Parents can try introduce kids from neighborhood or daycare so that new friendships can be developed. As the child gets acquainted with new friends, he/she may leave the imaginary friend. When the children are under 5 years, they have trouble distinguishing reality and imagination. However, once they grow beyond 6 years they would say good bye to their imaginary friends.
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July 29th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
concerned about 81/2 yr. old who has several imaginary friends and states they tell him to do things but doesn’t state what kinds of things. Should we be concerned?
November 15th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Children at about 5 years old have a healthy imagination.
Imaginary friends or companions are often used by children in play activities. Social and emotional skills to children with imaginary friends are more developed than to other children. The cognitive development grous faster to children with imaginary friends than to children without them.
In general when people use their imagination to create something they do research and think about it.Then they share their ideas with friends and enjoy the results of their creation. In this way people do benefit socially and emotionally.
Accordig to Dr. Montessori: Imagination is one of the great powers of the mind and since nothing in nature is destroyed it should be cultivated to the full.