# One Everyday Therapy Activity for Pretend Play

Canonical: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-one-everyday-therapy-activity-to-help-my-child-with-pretend-play
Publisher: Pinnacle Blooms Network / Bharath Healthcare Laboratories Private Limited

One easy home activity is the "feed the teddy" game: act out feeding a soft toy with an empty spoon, then hand the spoon to your toddler so they copy and join in. Doing this for a few joyful minutes daily gently invites pretend play, language and turn-taking.

*The best pretend-play teacher in your home isn't a toy — it's you, narrating an ordinary moment until your child joins in.*

## In short
Try the **"feed the teddy" game**: sit with your toddler, pick up a soft toy or doll, and act out feeding it with an empty spoon or cup — "Mmm, teddy is hungry! Let's give teddy some rice." Pause, smile, and offer your child the spoon. This one small routine, done daily, gently invites your child into the world of pretend.

## How to do it
- **Start with the real action your child knows.** Eating, sleeping, washing — pretend works best when it copies daily life.
- **Use big, happy gestures and simple words** — "Teddy is sleepy, shhh," while rocking the toy.
- **Pause and wait.** Hand the spoon over and let your child have a turn. A glance, a reach, or copying your action all count as joining in.
- **Build slowly.** Once feeding is fun, add a step — wipe teddy's mouth, put teddy to bed. Each new step stretches the play a little further.
- Keep it to 5–10 joyful minutes. Stop while it's still fun.

## The science
Pretend play (in the [ICF](/pretend-play) it sits within communication and interpersonal interactions, code d7) is how toddlers rehearse language, social turn-taking and flexible thinking. Between 12 and 36 months, children move from simple imitation toward symbolic play — making one thing "stand for" another. Caregiver-led, responsive play is one of the most reliable everyday ways to grow these skills, because your warm attention does the heavy lifting.

## The Pinnacle way
A clinical [AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under the care of a qualified clinician — this activity is for everyday home support, not assessment. If you'd like guidance tailored to your child, our [occupational therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/best-occupational-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) and play-based teams can help you build a simple home plan.

## Trusted sources
Aligned with WHO nurturing-care guidance on responsive caregiving and play, and AAP/HealthyChildren advice on learning through everyday play.

**Next step —** try "feed the teddy" once a day this week, and message our team on WhatsApp at +91 91001 81181 for a free play-skills starter guide.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

## Sources
- ICF d7: https://icd.who.int/browse11
- WHO Nurturing Care Framework — responsive caregiving and play: https://nurturing-care.org
- AAP HealthyChildren — learning through play: https://www.healthychildren.org

## Connected topics and perspectives
- Skills: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/skills
- Parent / Family: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/parent
- Toddler: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/age/toddler
- Social: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/domain/social
- Home Support: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/intent/home_support
- Act: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/lifecycle/act
- Book Assessment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/route/book-assessment
- Family Empowerment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/empowerment/family_empowerment
- Pretend-Play: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/ability/pretend-play
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - Toddler Module: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/assessment/adost
- English: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/language/en
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/sdg/3
- pretend play: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/skill/pretend-play
- Caregiver: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/caregiver
- Therapist / Clinician: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/therapist

## Related question paths

### Recognise signs & concerns
- At What Age Should a Child Pretend Play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/at-what-age-should-a-child-pretend-play
- Could difficulty with pretend play be a sign of a developmental delay?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/could-difficulty-with-pretend-play-be-a-sign-of-a-developmental-delay
- Is it normal that my toddler is not yet showing pretend play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/is-it-normal-that-my-toddler-is-not-yet-showing-pretend-play
- What does it mean if my child is not yet showing pretend play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-it-mean-if-my-child-is-not-yet-showing-pretend-play
- What signs suggest my child may need support with pretend play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-signs-suggest-my-child-may-need-support-with-pretend-play
- When Do Children Usually Pretend Play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/when-do-children-usually-pretend-play
- What to do if a child isn't yet showing pretend play: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-caregiver-what-should-i-do-if-a-child-in-my-care-is-not-yet-showing-pretend-play
- Pretend Play Milestones for Teachers: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/by-what-age-is-a-child-usually-expected-to-pretend-play-and-what-should-a-teacher-expect-in-class
- Observing pretend play on a home visit: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/during-a-home-visit-what-should-a-frontline-worker-observe-about-a-child-learning-to-pretend-play
- When to escalate a pretend play delay: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/if-a-child-cannot-pretend-play-at-the-expected-age-when-should-a-frontline-health-worker-escalate
- Pretend Play Difficulty and Developmental Referral: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/is-difficulty-learning-to-pretend-play-a-clinical-red-flag-that-warrants-a-developmental-referral

### Understand assessment
- My child is in the amber zone for Pretend-Play — what does that mean?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-pretend-play-what-does-that-mean
- Green Zone for Pretend-Play — What It Means: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-green-zone-for-pretend-play-what-does-that-mean
- Red zone for pretend play — what it means: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-red-zone-for-pretend-play-what-does-that-mean
- How can a clinician assess and track pretend play progress?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-a-clinician-assess-and-track-a-child-s-progress-in-learning-to-pretend-play

### Explore therapy & support
- How can a teacher support a child working on pretend play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-a-teacher-support-a-child-working-on-pretend-play
- What therapy helps a child learn to pretend play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-therapy-helps-a-child-learn-to-pretend-play
- Pretend-Play Amber Zone — Next Steps for Parents: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-pretend-play-what-should-we-do-next
- Green Zone Pretend Play — What To Do Next: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-green-zone-for-pretend-play-what-should-we-do-next
- Red zone for pretend play — what should we do next?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-red-zone-for-pretend-play-what-should-we-do-next
- Techniques to Develop Pretend Play: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-therapist-what-techniques-help-a-child-develop-the-ability-to-pretend-play
- How can a teacher support a student who is still learning to pretend play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-a-teacher-support-a-student-who-is-still-learning-to-pretend-play
- How should a therapist prioritise a child in the amber zone for Pretend-Play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-pretend-play
- How should a therapist prioritise a child who is in the green zone for pretend play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-green-zone-for-pretend-play
- How should a therapist prioritise a child who is in the red zone for pretend play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-red-zone-for-pretend-play

### At home & in everyday life
- What is one Everyday Therapy activity to help my child with social imagination?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-one-everyday-therapy-activity-to-help-my-child-with-social-imagination
- What is one Everyday Therapy activity to help my child with imaginative play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-one-everyday-therapy-activity-to-help-my-child-with-imaginative-play
- How to Work on Pretend Play Feeding at Home: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-work-on-pretend-play-feeding-a-with-my-child-at-home
- What is one Everyday Therapy activity to help my child with play?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-one-everyday-therapy-activity-to-help-my-child-with-play
- How can I help my child learn to pretend play at home?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-help-my-child-with-learn-to-pretend-play-at-home
- Helping Your Child Practise Pretend Play at Home: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-caregiver-how-can-i-gently-help-a-child-practise-learning-to-pretend-play-during-everyday-routines