Pretend Play

Peanut Maximus has entered the prime of pretend play. Imaginary creative scenarios fill the day. Last week one frequent babysitter spent at least six hours driving an imaginary school bus that they built and rebuilt numerous days out of play couch cushions, blocks, chairs, an old computer keyboard, a disconnected landline phone, a chunk of a log, and a silver bell. They drove all over every day and got out to go orchestra rehearsals, church, the library, a baseball game. restaurants . . . all the things. Every time I walked in the room between students to retrieve something, there they were, driving the imaginary bus. (She’s an awesome, patient babysitter!)

And with another babysitter this past week Peanut Maximus has spent days recreating piano performance parties (that really did happen a week ago) by lining up all the dining room chairs in the kitchen to watch various imaginary people play the xylophone. He empties the cupboard and fills the dining room table with “snacks” that serve as party refreshments. This babysitter patiently plays along, sitting in the chairs, applauding for imaginary students, and putting all those snacks back in the cupboard again.

When he’s not catching the imaginary bus, he’s at a pretend hockey game or a pretend baseball game, and zinging balls all around with Boomwacker tubes. If you want to write a book about a hundred thousand ways to use Boomwackers, just ask a three year old for suggestions.