I

magination doesn’t need a blueprint—it needs permission. When children invent worlds, voices, or systems that make no sense to adults, they’re exercising one of the most powerful forms of thinking: the ability to go beyond what is and ask what could be. You don’t need to understand the logic behind their game or story. You just need to respect that it’s real to them. That space to invent without limits builds confidence, originality, and flexible thinking they’ll draw on for life.

One evening, my son announced he was the “Ambassador of the Moon Forest” and began issuing rules about how invisible creatures should behave at dinner. Instead of laughing it off, we leaned into it—my daughter asked for a visa, I requested diplomatic immunity. What started as nonsense turned into a kind of improvised theater. Later, he sketched the whole world and wrote its anthem. None of it had a lesson or objective. But it mattered—to him, and to the way he sees what’s possible.

Encourage this kind of wild invention. Let your child narrate a scene with toys or turn a walk into a space mission. Ask how things work in the world they’ve created. Not every thought needs to be logical or useful—some of the best thinking starts with nonsense. When children are free to imagine without correction or expectation, they grow more confident not only in their creativity, but in the sheer joy of thinking differently.

TIPS

• Let your child lead in pretend play or invented stories.
• Don’t rush to “make sense” of their ideas—follow their logic.
• Ask questions that deepen the world they’re building.

ACTIVITIES

• Imagination Prompt: Ask, “What would happen if your stuffed animals ran the world?” Let the story unfold.
• Invent a Place: Invite your child to design a new world—draw it, narrate it, or build it with toys or blocks.