Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Pretend play, also known as imaginative play or make-believe, is a type of play where children use their imagination to create scenarios and act out different roles and events.
Related terms
Symbolic Play: A type of play that occurs when children use objects, actions or ideas to represent other objects, actions, or ideas as play.
Role Play: The acting out or performance of a particular role, either consciously (as a technique in therapy or training) or unconsciously, in accordance with social expectations attached to that role.
Sociodramatic Play: A type of pretend play where children enact various roles and themes in stories that they create.