Most of your child's pretend play has probably involved acting out everyday situations like cooking, talking on the phone and putting babies to bed. This role play helps children strengthen their understanding of the world.As children approach their third birthday, pretend play moves from imitation to imagination—children begin to take a role in the stories they know and their play becomes more fantasy based. This practice with retelling and playing out imaginary scenes will be useful later when your child learns to read and write stories.