WiseTip: CD-PLY-M0009-E01A

Cognitive Development

Promoting Imitation & Symbolic Play

Have familiar toys for your baby to play with, such as rattles and soft toys. Play with the toys with your baby, such as by shaking the rattle or patting the soft toy. Then, give your baby time to imitate your actions.

WHY IT MATTERS

When working with pre-verbal children, establishing imitation is important as a building block for social and language skills. For younger children in the sensorimotor stage (0-2 years old), carrying out actions with objects allows the child to imitate an adult in a way that doesn't require the ability to pretend or vocalise. It is a very concrete and functional way to help the child develop imitation skills.

Piaget, J. (1962). Play, dreams, and imitation in childhood. New York: Norton.