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Cause Pretend
Explore explanations, everyday questions and next steps connected with cause pretend.
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Signs & concerns
Helping your child move from cause-and-effect to pretend play
The move from cause-and-effect play to pretend play is gradual and usually emerges between roughly 12 and 24 months. You can bridge it by modelling tiny pretend moments inside familiar routines — feeding a doll, 'sipping' from a toy cup — using your child's favourite toys as a launch pad. A calm developmental check is wise if your child is well past two with no emerging pretend or imitation, or alongside delays in words, gestures or social connection. This is a reason to look early, not a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerWhen do children move from cause-and-effect to pretend play?
Children typically move from cause-and-effect play towards pretend play between about 12 and 24 months — simple pretend (feeding a doll, toy phone) appears around 12–18 months, and richer imaginative make-believe blossoms from 2 to 3 years. These are overlapping stages, not strict deadlines.
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