A Pretend Day at Work

1. 1

   Give pretend family play a new theme: a day at work. Use the bedroom as home and the living room as the workplace.

2. 2

   Let your child choose a job—firefighter, chef, teacher, or anything else that interests them—and set out a few simple props at work.

3. 3

   Help them pack a work bag and say goodbye at the bedroom door: “Remember to say goodbye. See you after work!” Invite your child to say, “I’m going to work.”

4. 4

   Let them travel to the living room and do their pretend job for a while.

5. 5

   When the workday ends, greet them at the door: “You’re home! You worked hard today.” Act out the return-home routine together.

6. 6

   If work props come home too, remind your child to return them to the workplace, just as adults leave many work materials at work.

What to notice

• Pretends to go to work and come home again Imitation and Symbolic Representation and Play
• Hugs you when returning home from pretend work Relationships with Adults

Tips

• If your child is unsure what to say before leaving or after coming home, prompt them: “What does Mom say before she leaves for work? What does she say when she comes home?”
• If your child has strong feelings about a parent going to work, use the game to talk about reunion: “When work is finished, I come home and see you again.”

Developmental benefits

• Cognitive: Acting out a workday gives your child a concrete way to organize what they know about adults leaving, working, and returning home.