We came across these very friendly gophers (Richardson Ground Squirrels/Prairie Dogs) on one of our summer road trips. Very tame. And they knew what our cooler contained. Fancy that.

Sometimes it can drive us parents slightly bonkers when we set a nice meal on the table only to be joined by a dog dressed as our youngest child. They try to eat without hands. Try to lap the water out of their glass (if they haven’t already asked for an accommodation in the form of a water dish). Their communication has been reduced to indecipherable yips, barks, growls, and slobbering. And yet they don’t eat the food off the floor…

Pretend Play is Beneficial for Kids

Sure, sometimes it tries our patience. But when kids are pretending to be an animal they are actually learning. (And no, not what makes mom and dad hit the roof. Seriously, do you have to pretend I am a fire hydrant? And no, I will not tie this cord around your fragile neck and take you for a walk. Ah!)

Kids learn through play. And by pretending to be an animal, they are experiencing what it is like to be that creature. Via play they are discovering an animal’s point of view and developing empathy for that animal (as well as others). And by learning about others, they are in turn, learning about themselves and how they differ from animals. And the best way to learn that is by being hands on.

What Animal Are You?

My daughter has worn the knees in many a pair of jeans pretending to be horses and dogs. Perennial favourites for her. Although the way she eats resembles a chipmunk–as did I at that age. Hmmm. And in a few minutes my one-year-old will wake from his nap meowing like a cat. Let’s hope he doesn’t chase the chipmunk!

Welcome to the Oram Family Zoo. Admission is free and you are welcome to pet and feed the animals. They are mostly tame.

What animal would you like to be today? How about your kids?

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Get on a blanket, towel, or little carpet and pretend you are flying through the air. What do you see down there? Is there someone in need of rescue?

Make this a family activity: Give your family members a ride! Where should you go? What do you want to see?

This activity promotes imagination and stimulates free play.

If you already have an invisible friend, create another one.

Who is your invisible friend? Give them a name, birthday, hobbies, favourite foods, and books they like to read.

When you get bored or lonely, talk and play with your invisible friend. Have tea parties, play cars, even race each other across the living room.

Make this a family activity: See if your parents had invisible friends when they were kids.

This activity promotes imagination as well as coping and resiliency skills.

Make this a family activity: Take turns acting things out as a mime, or work together. Try not to laugh!

This activity promotes physical space awareness and creativity.

Get out a calculator, a few catalogues (for prices and ideas) and see how much you could buy if you had a million dollars. Is it hard? Is it easy?

Hmmm… how much does a swimming pool and a convertible cost?

Make this a family activity: See what everyone buys.

This activity promotes math skills.