{"id":"f000d6cc0bcfa05284a720fe668b630a","slug":"imaginary-friends-in-preschool-age-children-normal-development-24bc33","question":"imaginary friends in preschool age children normal development","answer":"Imaginary friends are a normal and healthy part of preschool development. Having an invisible companion shows that your child is using their imagination creatively and engaging in social play—both important developmental skills at this age.\n\nChildren who create imaginary friends tend to have stronger social understanding overall. They're better able to imagine other people's perspectives and feelings, which actually supports their ability to connect with real friends too. Language abilities don't play a role in whether a child develops an imaginary companion, so it happens across the board.\n\nIf your preschooler is chatting away with an invisible friend, that's their mind at work in a perfectly healthy way—no need to worry or discourage it.","sources":"[{\"pmid\":\"35502485\",\"title\":\"Autistic children who create imaginary companions: Evidence of social benefits.\",\"journal\":\"Autism : the international journal of research and practice\",\"year\":\"2023\",\"url\":\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35502485/\",\"score\":0.82}]","thread_json":null,"topic":"social-emotional-development","view_count":0,"created_at":"2026-09-07T23:00:48.322Z"}