When does imagination develop in children?

Question

When do children start to use their imagination and when does it mature?

Answer 1

about 18 months, it never really matures you are constantly increasing your imagination!

Answer 2

Some form of imagination can show up at two years old, but there's nothing about a child's thinking that is ever completely mature until his brain is finished developing (which could be as late as early-twenties to mid-twenties).

My two-year-old used to put something on his head, drag his father's briefcase around, and wear a cloth diaper around his neck and say, "I'm a prime minister". Because I thought he may not know what a prime minister really was (although he had the idea it was "king-type-of-thing") I'd join in his game and say, "I'm a King." He'd then say, "I'm a president." My husband would add, "I'm a Duke." (and this went on, as we all took part in whatever it was he was playing).

He would also pack up bags of stuff and carry them around and say, "I'm a little Santa."

My point is that's what I witnessed in terms of imagination in my two-year-old. I can't say I recall many signs of imagining anything on his own before two, though.

There is probably, though, a simple type of imagining that can go on with an infant. For example, when someone "plays airplane" when feeding a baby - The baby seems entertained enough at this kind of odd behavior that his mind is doing something other than just, say, seeing his food and eating it.

Answer 3

as early as 20 months or so children understand the concept of using something (ball, book, etc.) and pretending it's something else (truck, train, etc.). The more you help to develop these concepts the earlier they mature, but the average child is around 28-36 months.
Try taking your little one to Gymboree classes- they do concept development with imagination, and also aid in the development of your child.

Answer 4

I know my daughter is almost 2 1/2 now, and shows imagination a lot already. Like playing with pretend food and "cooking", or taking care of her baby dolls.