Let's Pretend to Go to the Grocery Store

As the world slowly opens up to toddlers, their imaginations start to take hold. All of the knowledge and experiences they process everyday come out during lulls in their real adventures. It's magical to see.

Still, my husband and I have noticed that the twins don't like to let their imaginations run too far just yet. While they'll sometimes play witch, and they love playing lion and jungle, they'll often throw in everyday elements, so that the game doesn't get too foreign for them.

For instance, even though they know Superman can fly, they make him drive everywhere in a toy car.  Everywhere, of course, includes, the park, the beach, the grocery store, the icecream parlor, the pool, and home.  Superman leads a very exotic life. He likes chocolate milk and orange juice. He often has to strap Supergirl into her carseat. Sometimes he throws tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants. After any given adventure, Superman gets tired and has to take a nap.

They use their imaginations these days to tie into their memories, reliving their favorite events over and over again. This is something they'll bring with them to adulthood, as so often we don't realize that our own daydreams are products of experiences we've already had.  Making things up out of the blue is fun, but the experience intensifies when we are able to see ourselves in the situation. That's what the babies are doing. No, they're not yet finding the charming prince love of their lives or knocking executives dead at a big meeting in their minds. They're where they can see themselves. They're at the pool.

They'll hone their imaginary skills and expand their repetoire soon, I'm guessing, but for now, I relish in our nightly trips to the grocery store where we list all the food items we would possibly gather should we actually find ourselves grocery shopping.

I am hoping they'll soon allow Superman to fly, though. It's so much more convenient than driving.

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