The holiday season is the perfect time to find gifts that encourage kids to learn, grow, and have fun through play. Among the many options available, pretend play toys continue to be favorites for children of all ages because they inspire open-ended exploration and self-expression. Whether kids are caring for imaginary pets, running a dream restaurant, or inventing their own stories, pretend play allows them to step into new roles and engage with the world in creative ways. Discover some of the top Crayola pretend play toys and holiday gift ideas designed to keep imaginations engaged long after the festivities end.
What Is Pretend Play?
Pretend play, also known as imaginative play, is when children use creativity to make up stories, take on new roles, and turn everyday objects into something entirely new. A cardboard box can become a spaceship, a blanket fort can become a castle, and a child can imagine being anything from a teacher to a superhero.
Through this imagination play, kids can explore ideas, experiences, and emotions in a safe, lighthearted way. Whether playing independently or with friends and family, children learn to share ideas, take turns, and work together as they create their own experiences. Many of the best creative play toys provide opportunities for this open-ended exploration and connection.
Benefits of Pretend Play for Kids
Imaginative play encourages creative thinking by allowing kids to invent characters, stories, and solutions to challenges they encounter in their make-believe worlds. The Child Mind Institute notes that pretend play can help kids develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills as they plan scenarios and determine what happens next in their make-believe worlds.
Pretend play may also help children build important communication, social, and emotional skills. As they tell stories, speak in character, and act out different roles, they have the opportunity to expand their vocabulary and gain confidence in self-expression. When playing with siblings, friends, or caregivers, they can learn how to cooperate, take turns, share ideas, and understand different perspectives. These interactions help children practice expressing their thoughts and feelings in meaningful ways.
Most importantly, pretend play is a child-led activity. Unlike structured games with defined rules or outcomes, pretend play gives children the opportunity to direct their own experiences, make decisions, and shape play in ways that reflect their interests and curiosity.
Best Pretend Play Toys for Holiday Gifts
Here are some of our favorite Crayola pretend play toys for the 2026 holiday season:
Color Wonder Scented Kitchen
The Color Wonder Scented Kitchen Playset serves up a fun blend of creativity and pretend play. Kids can become chefs as they decorate pretend treats, create colorful kitchen scenes, and act out their own restaurant or bakery adventures. The package also transforms into a make-believe oven for even more interactive play, while scented elements add a sensory surprise to every creation. Plus, Color Wonder technology keeps color on the specially formulated paper, not on skin, clothing, or furniture, making it a parent-friendly choice for imaginative fun and one of the most engaging pretend play sets for young creators.
Scribble Scrubbie Ultimate Friendship Collection
The Scribble Scrubbie Ultimate Friendship Collection gives kids an entire crew of adorable pets to color, customize, and care for. With the included Friendship House, children can create different play scenarios while personalizing each pet with unique colors and designs. What makes this set especially engaging is the washable play pattern. Kids can color their pets, wash them clean, and start fresh whenever inspiration strikes. The Mystery Pets adds an element of surprise, while the reusable design encourages kids to continually experiment with new color combinations and looks. With so many pets to customize and redesign, this collection offers creative play that can be enjoyed again and again.
Scribble Scrubbie Color Blast
The Scribble Scrubbie Color Blast Playset combines hands-on creativity with pretend play by giving kids the opportunity to create and care for their own colorful pet characters. As children personalize their pets, they can imagine personalities, relationships, and everyday experiences that help bring their creations to life. The washable, redesignable format encourages kids to continually reimagine their characters and explore new play scenarios, creating opportunities for open-ended play that can evolve over time.
Scrubbie Jumbo Characters
Scribble Scrubbie Jumbo characters supersize the colorful possibilities with a larger 6-inch size that makes them feel more like real-world animals. More space gives kids room to color, customize, and personalize their lovable pets. Children can invent unique personalities and stories for their pets, then wash them clean to start all over again. The reusable design encourages creative storytelling and hours of imagination play, making these pets one of Crayola's most versatile pretend play toys.
Ms. Rachel Coloring Farm Playset
Inspired by the world of Ms. Rachel, this farm-themed playset lets kids color and customize character standees and farm scenery while using sticker sheets to bring their farm adventures to life through storytelling. Kids will delight in farm adventures, acting out life on the farm and building confidence through creative self-expression. The hands-on sticker activities help support hand-grasping and fine motor skills, while encouraging skill-building through play. It’s a fun way to combine coloring, storytelling, and pretend play in one engaging activity, making it a great choice for families looking for toys for imaginative play.
Silly Scents Ice Cream Parlor Play Set
The Silly Scents Ice Cream Parlor Play Set turns free time into a sweet pretend play adventure. As kids mold colorful ice cream treats out of Crayola Dough, decorate imaginative desserts with Silly Scents Markers, and dream up their own ice cream shop stories, they explore creativity through hands-on play. Scented details add another layer of sensory fun, while the open-ended nature of the activity encourages kids to invent new scenarios, unveil unique menu items, and role-play as shop owners or customers. With opportunities for both crafting and storytelling, this imaginative activity inspires kids to express themselves, engage their senses, and discover new ways to play.
Give the Gift of Imagination
Pretend play toys helps children build valuable life skills while exploring the world around them through open-ended play. This holiday season, give a gift that encourages learning, creativity, and engagement long after the presents have been unwrapped.
Shop our full Pretend Play Gift Assortment for more creative gift ideas kids will love!