5 year olds and imagination

[Karenciavo]

My 5 yo son has a very, very vivid imagination. He is always on adventures pretending to defeat monsters, dragons, and various other evil doers. He walks around constantly with a sword tucked in the back of his shirt at the neck. All he wants to talk about are adventures and adventurers, always. No matter what he is doing he adds in a, "by the way, did you know when I was Link I did this," or "when I was Frodo I did that" or Sir Ethan did yadda, yadda, yadda. Everything he builds out of clay, Legos and K'nex have to do with his adventuring. I feel like it's excessive and I'm wondering if I should be doing something about it, but what I don't know.

Do you think a child can have too much fantasy in their life?

[GothicGyrl]

That depends on if you want a 12 yr old who walks around talking in strange voices :)

Your son is my youngest. She now walks around holding whole conversations in various cartoon voices, including acting out the characters who own said voices. She'll stop if I call her on it, but it's quite funny and I can't bring myself to end it with her. It's a talent.

And one I consider not worth squelching cuz they could end up paying for your nursing home someday. :)

[Unicorn]

I don't think there is anything wrong with that at all. Be glad your ds has an imagination (it's a sign of intelligence). My poor ds couldn't imagine anything until he was 9. Oh, except for his imaginary brother. He still wants a real one of those, but he ain't a gettin one!

[Jean in Newcastle]

My ds10 has a very vivid imagination. I've told him that imagination is a tool. It can help us to really see the action in a story, it can help us to make up stories in our heads, and it can entertain and comfort us. But it can get out of hand if it is not also grounded in reality. Most 5 year olds can tell the difference between "make believe or pretend" and "real stuff". There is time for both. My ds has had full blown tantrums in the past because of something imaginary that he didn't like (so change it in your mind, already!). And I remember when I totally freaked myself out with imaginary boogie-men to the point that I could not sleep for days. Those things cross the line! But in my case and my son's it has gotten better with age. And it really is a gift to have a vivid imagination.

[Michelle in MO]

My middle daughter became a complete fantasy nut after we read LOTR together. This spurred her on to become a really good reader, plus she used to write many, many fantasy stories (but she never let me read them!). However, it hasn't hurt her any! She's now 13 and very well-balanced! :D

[Adrianne]

You just described my five year old. I think it helps expand his mind to think new things. Would you want him doing the same thing every day!

Creativity is a sign of intelligence!

Good for him!

Adrianne

[Remudamom]

once when she was about that age I heard her in her room speaking in a high voice and answering herself in a deep voice. When I stuck my head in to ask what was up she said "I'm being the Jacksons." (Friends of ours)

[kalanamak]

yesterday, so I said okay smartie, who'll be the new president. Pause for a really cute 5 year old smile "I AM".

[DB in NJ]

You just described my 8 yo ds! He is *amazing*.

He used to spend 30 minutes acting out "movies" for all of us every night. He played every part, used different voices, props, costumes, etc. Sometimes they dragged on and bored us stiff ;) but other times they were really GOOD! LOL

He got out of that habit, but now he builds what we call "dudes" out of legos, clay, fusion, multi-link cubes (we buy them by the 100's for him to build guys with. Once a guy is built, he can't be taken apart), etc. He draws cartoons, writes stories, etc. Oh, and every character has a name. Every single one. I have no idea where he gets these names from; they're really something!

I have often wondered if he is gifted. He's not particularly a whiz when it comes to memorizing his math facts (but we recently switched to Miquon Math, and WOW!) or any other academics. But his imagination and memory for other things is astonishing.

BTW, he saw the LOTR trilogy for the first time when he was 5. He remembered every character, every battle scene, almost every swing of every sword. He can also remember almost every song sung by every contestant the last 4 years on American Idol.

[tess in the burbs]

Ummm, you just described my 6 year old. Exactly. Perfectly.

I think it's great(except when it's bedtime, dinnertime, schooltime) and try to just smile when I have no idea what his 'gadget' can do.

[Laurel T.]

Do you think a child can have too much fantasy in their life?

This is a question that I have had for a while. My ds is not so much into "characters" but he has the craziest imagination. It often worries me. He is a young 4 yo. Sometimes I wonder if he needs a psychological evaluation, but reading all the posts here, maybe he is just "gifted."

The thing that ds does that worries me the most is--when he lays down at night, still wide awake, with the lights out he asks me if I see all of the beautiful colors. He tells me about the images that they make. Ummm...honey it is pitch black dark and mommy does not see a "rainbow of light cascading from the ceiling to the floor." So is this strange or still in the realm of imagination? He has a vivid imagination and advanced verbal skills--the combination is particularly interesting.

Laurel T.

[Karenciavo]

Hmm, alright. I'm a little surprised that all of you had a similar response. I wish we had a little bit more balance, we can't even get through "The Foot Book" without talking about going on an adventure.

I guess I'll let him enjoy his imagination a little longer.

Thank you,
Karen

[Peek a Boo]

I don't mind the extreme imagination stuff.
DH handled it pretty well when 2d ds at 5yo had an imaginary DAD though. His "other dad' had all the fun stuff, lol. But everytime DH suggested that the "other dad" come over for dinner or to play baseball, the other dad was always "busy" doing some wonderfully heroic deed, lol. They are best buds and pretty tight now [ds is 10yo].

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I imagine that Robin Williams was just like your son. I would consider it a gift. He sounds delightful!