The word "imagination" conjures up images of children pretending with dolls, pushing dump trucks, or dressing up as princesses or pirates. While young children do spend much of their time in the land of make believe, the imagination is not just reserved for children's play. It is because of the development of the imagination during childhood that adults are able to do many of the tasks that daily life demands. Adults constantly use their imagination to help them invent new things, visualize, solve problems, enjoy a book or movie, understand others' perspectives, make plans, come up with ideas, and think creatively. No wonder Albert Einstein felt that "imagination is more important than knowledge"!
“想象力”会让人蹦出这样的画面：孩子在用玩偶做假想游戏，假装推动卸货卡车，打扮 成公主或海盗。当孩子们每天都花费大量时间在假想的世界里，想象力却不仅仅发生在 孩子的玩耍中。因为成人能够通过每天日常生活需要完成的任务，来发展孩子的早期想 象力。成人也经常运用他们的想象力去发明新东西，让思考视觉化，去解决问题，读一 本书或看一部电影，理解他人的观点，制定计划，想出新的点子及创造性的思考。难怪 爱因斯坦会认为：“想象力比知识更重要”！
Therefore, using one's imagination is a critical cognitive skill that is used throughout life, and it is important to encourage the imagination in childhood. But what is the connection between pretend play and language?
在人的一生中，运用想象力是一项极为关键的认知技能。因此，鼓励孩子在早期发展想 象力极为重要。然而，假想游戏与语言之间究竟有何联系？
The Connection between Pretend Play and Language
假想游戏与语言之间的联系
Pretend play and language both involve the same underlying ability to represent things symbolically. Pretend play is also known as "symbolic play" because it involves the use of symbols. When we use symbols, we use something to stand for something else. In the case of pretend play, children may use one object to stand for another, such as pretending a spoon is a hairbrush, or a tablecloth is a cape. This type of symbolic thought is also needed for language, as our words are symbols. Our words stand for our thoughts and ideas. Therefore, pretend play and language both involve the same underlying ability to represent things symbolically (Weitzman and Greenberg, 2002). It's no wonder children start to engage in pretend play around the same time their first words emerge (between 12 to 18 months). Furthermore, children who have language difficultiessometimes also struggle with pretend play.
假想游戏和语言都为培养象征性表达能力奠定了基础。因为假想游戏需要运用到象征 物，因此它也叫做“象征性游戏”。我们说的运用象征物，意思是用某样东西代表另一样 东西。在假想游戏里，孩子们会用一样东西象征着另一样，例如：他们会用勺子假想为 梳子，用桌布假想为披肩。孩子在语言学习中也需要这种的象征性思维，因为语言本身 就是一种象征符号。我们说的话代表着我们的想法。因此，假想游戏和语言都为培养象 征性表达的能力奠定了基础（Weitzman and Greenberg, 2002）。难怪儿童的假想 游戏开始于他们最初说话的时候（12至18个月），而且，有语言障碍的孩子有时也难以 进行假想游戏。
Why Encourage Pretend Play?
为什么要鼓励假想游戏？
There are many reasons why parents and caregivers should consider encouraging their child's pretend play skills:
以下有很多原因说明为什么家长和照顾者要加强孩子的假想能力：
Your child will gain practice with using symbols. This strengthens the foundation for your child's pretend skills and language skills.
孩子在使用象征物时会得到锻炼，因为这能巩固他的假想能力和语言能力。
Pretend play is an excellent way to expose your child to new vocabulary that he may not be exposed to in everyday life, such as "pirate", "sword", "rescue", "castle", or "fairy".
对孩子来说，假想游戏是了解日常生活中不太可能接触的词汇的极好方式，例如：“海 盗”“利剑”“救援”“城堡”或“仙子”。
When you pretend with your child, you will help him learn to play with others. Eventually, your child will start to pretend with other children, where he will learn to take turns and collaborate.
当你跟孩子玩假想游戏，你将帮助他学习与人为伴。最终你的孩子会与其他孩子一起玩 假想游戏，从中学会排队等候与团队合作。
When children take on a pretend role, they imagine what it is like to be another person. This helps develop their ability to take others' perspectives and develop empathy.
当孩子进行角色扮演时，他们会把自己想象成自己喜欢的人。这会帮助他们培养换位思 考和同理心。
Pretend play is fun! When you play like a child and let your imagination lead, you and your child will never run out of things to play with or talk about!
假想游戏就是好玩！没有什么游戏或对话，会比你像孩子一样放飞想象力来的好玩！
How Pretend Play Develops
假想游戏如何形成？
In typical development, pretend play progresses through predictable stages. Children with developmental delays may progress through these stages at a slower rate.
在孩子典型的成长发育阶段中，假想游戏的进步是可预知的。对于发育迟缓的孩子可能 在以下发育阶段中进步较慢。
Self-pretend- (12-18 months)
自我假想（12至18个月）
During this stage, children perform one pretend action at a time onthemselves, such as pretending to eat, drink, or sleep. Children tend to use toys that look quite realistic (e.g. a plastic toy spoon) or real-life objects (e.g. a real spoon).
在这一阶段，孩子每次表现出一个假想动作，例如：假装去吃，喝或者睡。孩子们会用 比较像的玩具（如：塑胶勺子）或生活中真实的物体（如：真的勺子）进行假想。
Simple pretend- (18-24 months)
简单型假想（18-24months）
Children at this stage perform simple pretend actions on toys or people. Children continue to use realistic-looking toys at this stage. Examples of simple pretend play include feeding a doll with a toy fork or making a toy airplane "fly". Children also imitate familiar adult actions at this stage, such as pretending to talk on a toy telephone.
这阶段的孩子对玩具或人表现出简单的假想行动。这阶段的孩子继续使用看起来特别真 实的玩具。常见的例子如：用“猪肉”玩具喂玩偶吃饭或者让玩具“飞机”飞起来。这阶段 的孩子也会模仿成人的行为，如：假装用玩具电话聊天。
Series of familiar actions- (24-30 months)
一系列熟悉的假想行为（24-30个月）
Just as children this age are learning to combine words together to make little sentences, they are also learning to combine pretend actions together. At this stage, children can act out a series of pretend actions related to a familiar routine, such as the steps involved in eating or going to bed. For example, the child may get out a toy bowl and spoon, pretend to pour cereal into the bowl, add some milk, and serve it to a doll. Children can use less realistic objects at this stage, as long as they are similar in shape to the real object. For example, a toy ball could be used as an apple to feed a doll.
正如这一阶段的孩子正在学习组词成句，他们也在学习把假想动作组合起来。这阶段的 孩子能把生活常规，如：吃饭或者睡觉的步骤通过假想游戏表演出来。例如：孩子可能 把碗和勺子拿出来，假装把食物倒到碗里，加点奶，然后喂娃娃吃。这阶段的孩子能使 用少量现实的物体，它们只要在形状上有相似之处，例如：用一个玩具球当作苹果去喂 娃娃吃。
Series of less familiar actions- (30-36 months)
一系列较不熟悉的假想行为（30至36个月）
Less familiar themes enter children's play at this stage. They may pretend about going to the doctor or being a waiter at a restaurant. Children can pretend without an object (they can pretend their hand is a cup and drink out of it). Children can also substitute objects that do not resemble the "real thing". For example, a child can pretend a block is a garbage truck on its way to the dump.
较不熟悉的主题进入了这一阶段的儿童游戏中。孩子们会假想自己去看医生或者在餐馆 里当服务员。孩子在没有东西的情况下也能假想（它们能把手想象成一杯水并把它喝 掉）。孩子也能用不太像的东西进行假想游戏。例如：孩子能把一个积木想象成去倒垃 圾的垃圾车。
Role play with other children- (3-5 years)
与其它孩子进行角色扮演（3至5岁）
Children pretend about imaginary themes now (things which do not reallyexist or that the child hasn't experienced yet in real life), such as pirates, castles, and superheroes. Children start to pretend with other children at this stage, each taking on different roles during the play. Realistic objects and toys are not needed as children can now pretend using gestures, mime, or unrealistic objects. Language often drives the play at this stage. Children explain their roles and use language to act out their role. For example, a child pretending to be a doctor might say to another child "I'm the doctor, you be the patient, ok? Where does it hurt?"
这阶段的孩子们现在会使用想象的（那些不存在的或在生活中没有经历过的）主题进行 假想了，如：海盗、城堡和超级英雄。这阶段的孩子开始与其它孩子在一个游戏里扮演 不同的角色。语言常常是游戏的主导因素。孩子们使用语言去解释游戏规则并把它表演 出来。例如：一个扮演医生的孩子会对另一个孩子说“我是医生，你是病人，这样好吗？ 你哪里受伤了？”
Encourage Pretend Play
促进假想游戏的方法
Getting down to your child's level and playing like a child yourself. By following the simple tips below, you will be stimulating your child's pretending skills and language, and the two of you are sure to have fun in the process! 像孩子一样，蹲下来投入孩子的游戏里。以下建议会帮助你刺激孩子的假想和语言能 力，让你和你的孩子乐在其中。
Be face-to-face (on the floor, across from each other at a table, etc).
面对面的交流（无论在地上，在桌子对面）
In this way, your child will feel connected to you, and he will be able to see your face, gestures, and pretend actions.
通过面对面的方式，孩子不仅感觉与你更加亲近，他也能够看到你的脸，姿势及假想动 作。
Observe your child's interests.
观察孩子的兴趣。
After you have put out a few pretend toys, watch and see what catches his interest. If he picks up a toy phone, play with it. If he starts to push a truck, play trucks. Your child will be motivated to play with you if you follow his lead.
随着你拿出一些假想玩具，你可以观看有什么吸引到你的孩子。如果他拿起一个玩具电 话，让他打电话。如果他开始推卡车，让他推卡车。当你的孩子在游戏中以自己为主 导，他将自我驱动起来。
Don't put out too many toys at once.
不要一次性给太多的玩具。
This can be overwhelming to some children.Select a few key toys that you think your child may like.
这会让某些孩子不知所措。选择一些孩子可能喜欢的主要玩具即可。
If your child doesn't know how to pretend yet.
如果你的孩子不知道怎样去假想。
You might need to start off the play. Pick up a toy your child likes and do one simple action yourself to give your child the idea. For example, you could demonstrate some self-pretend (see above) by picking up a toy cupand pretend to drink, saying "mmm…yummy juice". Then put the cup in front of your child and wait to see if he imitates you. If he doesn't, that toy may not interest your child. Try to observe your child's interests to determine if something else might be more interesting to him.
你可能需要开启这一游戏。拿起一件孩子喜欢的玩具，并做一件自己觉得简单的动作， 去激发孩子的想法。例如：你可以拿起玩具杯假装喝水并说“嗯，好喝的果汁”，来示范 如何进行自我假想（上述有提及）。然后把杯子放在孩子前面并等着他去模仿你。如果 他没有模仿的话，恐怕是玩具不够吸引。那就去观察孩子的兴趣再确定还有什么东西能 吸引到他。
Imitate your child's pretend actions.
模仿孩子的假想行为。
Observe what your child does with his toys, and then imitate his actions. This will likely motivate your child to do more pretend actions! Eventually, you can try introducing a new but related action to the play. For example, if your child has been pushing a dump truck, you can try adding some blocks to the back of the dump truck and dumping them out. Do this once, then wait to see what your child does next.
观察孩子是怎样跟玩具玩的，并模仿他的动作。这会激励孩子做更多假想动作。最终， 你可以试试介绍一些与之有关的新的游戏动作。例如：当孩子已经推过卸货卡车，你可 以试试再车后面放一些积木并把它卸下来。再做一遍，看看孩子会有何反应。
Keep it simple.
简单为上。
There's no need to introduce too many new pretend ideas at once. Children love repetition and learn from it, so they will likely enjoy practicing any new pretend actions over and over again.
一下子给他说很多假想的点子没有必要。孩子喜欢通过重复学习，它们很有可能会重复 又重复的享受练习新的假想动作的过程。
Don't just watch from the sidelines
不要只在旁观。
Get "into" the play! It is easy to become a "narrator" when playing with your child, and provide a play-by-play from the sidelines about what your child is doing. A narrator says things like "Oh, you are feeding the baby. You are taking such good care of your baby". If you have a toy in your hand and play yourself, it will ensure that you are "in" the play and playing with your child, not on the outside providing narration. Being ‘in' the play gives your child more chances to learn because it allows for more interaction and conversation.
进入孩子的游戏里！当你跟孩子玩的时候，你很容易变成“解说员”，在边线外解说孩子 玩的现场情况。一个解说员会说“你在喂这个小宝宝。你喂养的真好！”如果你拿着手中 的玩具玩，那会保证你参与到孩子的游戏里，不仅仅是在一旁观察解说。参与到孩子的 游戏理会让你的孩子有更多互动和对话的机会，有更多机会学到东西。
Take turns.
轮流等待。
When children aren't pretending very much, it's easy to take over the play in an attempt to show your child what to do. After you have done something with your toy, be sure to pause and wait so that your child can have a turn to do something. In this way, your play together will be a back-and-forth "conversation", in which each of you has a chance to say or do something.
当孩子不再进行假想游戏时，接下来你可以通过努力给孩子展示他可以做什么。当你用 玩具展示了一些东西，一定要暂停和等待，以便轮到孩子去做。通过这样的方式，你们 之间的游戏将会成为一种来回互动式的交谈，在其中每个人都有机会说或做一些东西。
Introduce new ideas.
引入新的点子。
For children who can link some familiar pretend actions together, the goal is to encourage less familiar themes. For example, if a child enjoys pretending with vehicles, you could introduce a less familiar theme by having the cars break down and taking them to the mechanic. Or perhaps superheroes could drive the cars as they save the day! Or if a child enjoys doll play, you could introduce the idea of a fairy coming to visit the doll, or maybe the doll could visit a castle to see the princess.
对于那些能够把自己熟悉的事物变成假想行为的孩子来说，我们的目标是鼓励他们用较 不熟悉的东西进行假想。例如：如果孩子喜欢假想车辆，你可以给他引入一些不太熟悉 的主题，如：车坏掉了拿去维修厂。或者可能作为超级英雄化险为夷的坐骑！或者如果 孩子喜欢娃娃游戏，你可以引入一个到娃娃家做客的仙子，或者可能让娃娃去王子家做 客的游戏。
Expose your child to new experiences.
让孩子接触一些新的经历。
Every time you go somewhere new with your child, this becomes the raw material for pretend play. A trip to the zoo can spark a whole new play theme for your child. Books also allow you to introduce imaginary themes to your child which can be incorporated into pretend play.
每当带孩子去新的地方，都会成为孩子假想游戏的原材料。一个动物园之旅就会为孩子 开启新的游戏主题。书籍也能方便你给孩子介绍一些能融入到假想游戏里的充满想象力 的主题。
Choose the right toys.
选择合适的玩具。
For ideas about selecting toys that encourage pretend play; these toys must have three characteristics in common. They:
对于这样能促进孩子假想游戏的玩具，它们至少有三个共同特征，它们是：
are open-ended – there is more than one way to play with the toy
开放式的——不仅仅有一种玩法。
promote interaction – they encourage collaboration and conversation
促进互动——能促进合作和交流。
can be used for simple or elaborate pretending – these toys can stimulate your child's imagination from toddlerhood into the early school aged years
能用作简单或繁杂的假想游戏——从刚学步的孩子到上小学的孩子，这些玩具能刺激到 他们的想象力。
By getting in touch with your own "inner child" and using your imagination, you will discover a new way to connect with your child. When you follow your child's lead, you will learn more about your child and his play interests. Your child will be very motivated to play with you in this way and feel very connected to you. And while it may look to others like you two are just messing around with trucks on the floor, you are really helping your child think symbolically and develop critical thinking skills that he will usethroughout his life.
通过接触你“内心的孩子”并运用想象力，你将发现跟孩子建立联系的新方式。当你跟随 孩子的带领，你将更懂孩子以及他的兴趣。用这种方式跟孩子玩，孩子也会从中得到激 励并与你亲近起来。而且当别人看起来你俩只是在地上拿着卡车乱玩一通时，殊不知你 正在帮助孩子进行象征性思考，同时发展他们的批判性思维能力，这些能力会让孩子一 生受用。