Four- and Five-Year-Olds

My step daughter is 4 1/2 yrs old. She's very smart. I'm a little concerned about her pretend play skills.

The ONLY thing she pretends is that she's an animal. Through the day she will be various animals and constantly says "pet the -----" or "look at the baby ------" or "the baby ---- wants some milk".

Since this is constant, we've tried telling her that it's okay to pretend to be an animal sometimes, but we enjoy her being a little girl. We try redirecting her by playing a game but she's herself for maybe a minute during the game and goes right back to being an animal.

It's not just at home, it's when we're shopping, visiting someone, out to dinner or anywhere. We are at our wits end and it's been going on for the past 3 months.

I've tried hard to get her to expand her pretend play to other things such as playing house, playing store, even zoo keeper with her stuffed animals. It only lasts for minutes and she's right back at it.

Nothing seems to work. She tells us that her mom likes when she's an animal. We are really unsure what to think of this behavior.

Please help!

Hi I'm Michelle, I don't know much about pretend play on the level you are speaking of but if she gets a lot of attention from her mom while she is pretending she may just be doing it for attention. You could ignore her and say things like: I miss my little girl, where did she go...when she comes back to being a girls treat her to something special. read a book together ect. As for out at stores just show her the signs on doors no shoes no shirt no service, no dogs allowed, explain she has to be a girl or they will ask us to leave. I would ignore her till she is a girl. Don't look at her talk to her or pet her, you won't have to explain why your ignoring her she will catch on. don't look at her or pet her till she asks why then say oh there you are..... When ever she talks to you as herself praise her and tell her something you have noticed about her. Your a very big girl. Big girls get to have ice cream. Point out special thing that big girls get to do.

My son and daughter love to pretend they are animals, a lot of their play is centered around this type of pretend. Your SD is probable very caring and loving little girl who feels loved when you enter into her pretend world. I would just redirect her and offer lots of praise for who she really is.

It is annoying but very normal. All kids seem to get stuck on a type of play whether it is playing with Thomas the Tank Engine, Power Rangers, Princesses, house or pretend animals.

A few of the things I do when I can't take the pretend play any longer: puppy has to go home now, we can't have animals in the house you know your brother's allergic. Calling the zoo keeper to come get the tiger, she can't play any longer. Oh no they don't allow animals in the store, we'll get in trouble if they come in with us. For babies, I bring up the fact that they have to take lots of naps and I get to pick what they eat. etc.

I keep my tone light.

I've also used the "Where is Lindsay/Philip? They were here a minute ago." Which usually gets them giggling. Then I make sure I engage them in either another game or a book or a song, etc. Basically anything so they are distracted from pretending to be an animal or a baby. If they do persist then I deal with it. Maybe we can't do something fun that I had planned because animals can't paint or go in store or go to the park, etc. Maybe they have to take a nap right now because babies, even baby animals need their sleep. Again, I keep my tone light and matter of fact.