Pretend Play

Pretend Play Toys – Where Imagination Meets Everyday Adventure

There’s a special kind of magic in pretend play — where a wooden spoon becomes a wand, a blanket becomes a cape, and your living room turns into a bustling café or a doctor’s clinic.
Through pretend play, children explore big emotions, test new roles, and build little worlds where they make the rules.

At Bombay Toy Company, we handcraft pretend play toys that help your child dream, create, and learn through storytelling. Every kitchen set, dollhouse piece, and wooden prop is designed with intention — to nurture imagination, empathy, and real-world confidence through play.

What Are Pretend Play Toys?

Pretend play toys are role-based toys that let children imitate, imagine, and explore everyday life scenarios — whether it’s cooking in a mini kitchen, running a shop, or fixing things with a toy toolkit.
Unlike single-purpose plastic toys, pretend play toys are open-ended — one day they’re a café, the next day a rocket control room!

For example, a wooden kitchen set allows your little chef to experiment with ingredients and imagination. A crochet doll might host a tea party. A wooden toolkit encourages fixing, building, and problem-solving.

Pretend play isn’t just “fun” — it’s foundational. It helps children develop social understanding, communication, patience, and creative confidence — life skills disguised as laughter.

Why Pretend Play Matters in Child Development

Pretend play is one of the most powerful types of learning through play. It sparks imagination, empathy, and emotional intelligence in a way few other toys can.

Here’s what it nurtures:

Language and Communication Skills:
Children learn to express themselves clearly while narrating stories, negotiating roles, and describing what’s happening.

Social and Emotional Growth:
Through pretend play, kids step into someone else’s shoes — a baker, teacher, parent, or doctor — and understand emotions from different perspectives.

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking:
From managing a “restaurant” to fixing a toy car, pretend play invites planning, experimentation, and creative decision-making.

Confidence and Independence:
It gives children the chance to “be in charge,” building self-esteem through make-believe achievements.

A preschool teacher we spoke with in Mumbai shared,

“Our class loves your wooden cooking set — children take turns being the ‘chef’ and ‘waiter.’ It’s amazing how a few simple props inspire teamwork, storytelling, and laughter.”

That’s what pretend play does — it transforms playtime into a safe space to explore real-world feelings and relationships.

The Montessori and Waldorf Philosophy Behind Pretend Play

In Montessori philosophy, pretend play is linked to “Practical Life” activities — where children mimic real tasks like cooking, cleaning, or caring for others.
It builds coordination, focus, and respect for daily routines.

Waldorf education, on the other hand, celebrates imagination and rhythm — using natural materials and open-ended props that let children invent freely.

Our collection at Bombay Toy Company blends both beautifully:

• Montessori’s purposeful structure
• Waldorf’s poetic storytelling

When we developed our Wooden Cooking Play Set, we discussed it with a Montessori guide from Pune who suggested keeping proportions realistic — “small, but not toy-like.” Her advice shaped the final product, ensuring it’s both beautiful and educational.

Popular Pretend Play Toys from Bombay Toy Company

Every pretend play set we create is designed to inspire open-ended storytelling and joyful role-play.

Here are some of our favorites:

Wooden Cooking Sets – A timeless favorite that turns little chefs into storytellers. Perfectly pairs with our Wooden Toys for open-ended kitchen adventures.

Crochet Dolls – Bring warmth and imagination into pretend tea parties, nurturing empathy and care. Explore our Crochet Dolls Collection.

Toy Toolkits and Building Sets – Encourage creativity and problem-solving through hands-on fixing and designing.

Wooden Boats and Vehicles – Perfect for pretend travels, rescue missions, or underwater adventures.

Dollhouse Furniture and Accessories – Create cozy miniature homes that spark hours of storytelling.

Kitchen and Grocery Shop Sets – Let children explore counting, sharing, and planning.

You can also explore our Open-Ended Toys or Best Sellers for complementary play items.

Real Conversations That Shape Our Toys

Every toy in our Pretend Play Collection begins with a conversation — often with parents and teachers who live these play moments daily.

When we were designing our wooden kitchen set, one mother told us,

“My daughter loves pretending to cook — but can you make the ladles and pots slightly heavier so they feel real in her hands?”
That small suggestion changed the entire product.

Another teacher from a preschool in Bangalore said,

“Our students love when toy food has removable labels — it turns math into pretend grocery play!”
So we introduced clip-on price tags for imaginative math moments.

These stories remind us that great toys aren’t just made — they’re co-created with the people who play with them.

How to Encourage Pretend Play at Home

Creating opportunities for pretend play doesn’t require a big space — just curiosity, conversation, and a few open-ended props.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Set Up a Play Corner: Use a low table or shelf to store pretend play toys. Let your child choose what to “set up” — a café, shop, or home.
   
2. Join the Story, Don’t Lead It: Instead of giving instructions, ask open questions — “What’s on the menu today?” or “Who’s visiting your store?”
   
3. Mix and Match Props: Combine Dough Pods for pretend baking or Wooden Toys for building imaginative worlds.
   
4. Keep It Fluid: Don’t worry if your child’s story keeps changing — that’s the beauty of pretend play!
   
5. Celebrate the Mess: Pretend play is rarely neat, but it’s full of learning and joy.

A parent from Hyderabad once shared,

“Every evening, our living room turns into a ‘Bombay Toy Café.’ My kids set up menus, take orders, and even clean up. It’s become our favorite family time.”

Choosing Pretend Play Toys by Age

For Babies (0–1 year): Soft, sensory toys like cloth fruits or rattles help introduce object recognition and imitation. Explore our Baby Collection.

For Toddlers (1–3 years): Simple sets like Toy Toolkits or mini kitchen sets support exploration and pretend problem-solving. Visit our Toddler Collection.

For Preschoolers (3–6 years): More detailed playsets like Cooking Sets, Dollhouses, and Crochet Dolls help develop storytelling, empathy, and collaboration. Explore the Preschooler Collection.

Sustainable, Handmade, and Safe

At Bombay Toy Company, sustainability is at the heart of everything we make. Our pretend play toys are handcrafted from responsibly sourced wood, finished with water-based paints, and designed to last for years of imaginative storytelling.

We work with artisans across India who pour patience and purpose into each creation — ensuring smooth edges, child-safe designs, and heirloom-quality durability.

One of our favorite messages came from a customer in Delhi who wrote,

“These aren’t just toys — they’re stories made of wood. My kids will outgrow them, but I know I’ll keep them forever.”

That’s exactly our goal — toys that stay, play after play, generation after generation.