symbolic play at 2 years old

[flexiheel]

I wonder if people could explain to me what sort of symbolic play I should expect from my two year old son. I wouldn't say he does very much. He has a pretend kitchen which he plays in quite a lot, moving pots and pans and stirring/cooking. But most of the ideas - 'let's make baked beans out of playdough' come from us. We'll introduce his teddies and he'll give them a quick drink, then move onto something else. He will use things for a phone, or even hold his own hand to his ear and pretend it's a phone, but really, that's about it.

I feel I should be seeing more - or maybe, I thought I should be. He's just turned 2.

[flexiheel]

Thanks, that's good to hear.

[flexiheel]

Bump?

[harrogatespring]

my DS who is coming up for 2 isn't that much different. He's got far too much else to do (like creating chaos!)

My DD was earlier to start with this sort of play. I remember her putting all her dollies to bed at about 18 months after rocking them.

I wouldn't worry - i think it's all in the normal range of things.

[matana]

Sounds totally normal to me, exactly the same as DS. He pretends to speak on the phone without prompting and sometimes pretends to read aloud from a book. Sometimes he'll pretend to go to bed by putting cushions on the floor and gathering his teddies. These are spontaneous, but we prompt him to pretend to feed teddies, or cook us something to eat etc. He usually looks at us a bit and then humours us, before dissolving into giggles. Encouragement is fine because it also helps them develop empathy. So for example if he drops teddy, we suggest he might be hurt and perhaps he needs a kiss and cuddle to feel better.

[DualFuel]

Sounds totally normal to me OP.

[ChestnutsRoastingonaWitchesTit]

Sounds normal to me too. I have a 22 mo and while he loves shoving his cars down the ramp in his garage (and whatever else he can find) he's not bothered about 'playing' cars, filling up with petrol, doing the garage man talk etc. he just looks at us like this . it frustrates DP no end!

[naturalbaby]

my 4yr old never really played like this, I never really noticed until his younger brother started doing it all the time as soon as he could walk/talk. They are just very different - ds1 likes to play with cars and trains in a pretty straightforward and simple way, ds2 will spend hours being a chef/magician/wizard/pirate/dragon.