Imaginary Friends Evoke Empathy

Is it healthy for a child to have an imaginary friend?

What You Need to Know

Young boys often pretend to be a certain character, like a hero, while girls will most likely create a friend to play with. Marjorie Taylor, a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, tells us that, “Children who have imaginary friends are better able to take the perspective of another person.” 

• Imaginary friends help children develop empathy and develop their imaginations.
• Imaginary friends have their own characteristics and may “do” things your child wouldn’t. 
• Children use their imaginations to work on coping skills. 

Children often like when parents join them in their pretend play. Find a balance between acknowledging your child’s imaginary friend and inviting the friend to be a part of the daily routine. 

• You don’t need to tell your child that his/her friend is not real. This can lead to hurt feelings and most imaginary friends will go away on their own anyway.
• Your child may blame things on his/her imaginary friend. Use this opportunity to reinforce the household rules and make sure your child takes responsibility.   “Remember, we don’t take drinks in the living room because they can spill. It’s important to be honest about what happened.”

For more on this topic, see the complete article:

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Imaginary_Friends/