As babies turn to toddlers and start to explore the world around them they also start to show interest in imaginative play, which is essential for developing creativity, empathy, and intellectual and social skills.

To help encourage imaginative play choose toys that have open ended purposes and do not solve any particular problem, but allow the child to choose. Animal shapes for example, can easily turn into a jungle adventure. Also choose toys that resemble real or make-believe world places or things such as cars, dolls, doll houses, or train sets, which allow for role-playing and participation from parents and siblings.