This article is part of the following topics:   Building Self-Esteem Early Elementary School Elementary School Learning at Home

Build Self-Confidence in Your Child With Lots of Pretending

When kids role-play, they get to explore new situations and feelings in a safe environment. Here are some make-believe activities to try:

• Play store. Let your child pick a kind of business to run. Pretend to help customers, stock supplies and use the cash register. If the business is a restaurant, take orders and make pretend food.
• Mime. Pretend to do something, such as bake a cake, without talking. Here are some other things to act out: Put a baby to sleep, build a snowman, or make a bed.
• Make puppets. Draw animal or human faces on construction paper. Cut them out and glue them on popsicle sticks. For an instant stage, nail or tape rope across a closet doorway and throw a cloth over it. Then put on a puppet play! (For safety, be sure to take the rope down as soon as you’re done.)
• Rehearse for real life. Think of tricky situations your child might face, such as meeting a new person or being confronted by a bully. Let her role play several reactions. Talk about what worked best.

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