my son will complete 4yrs next week. he is the only child. whenever he plays at home...he is talking to another 'imaginative' child and having a good talkative conversation. do i need to be concerned?

My little brother used to have conversations with his "friend" who apparently lived in the storage room at our childhood home, when he was 3 years old. It used to freak out my late grandmother so much because she attached the idea of the supernatural to my brother's imaginary friend haha. He stopped a little after his 4th birthday and I suspect it had to do with the fact that he started pre-kindergarten and started having real friends. Talking and playing with an imaginary friend is not that different from playing with action figures or dolls. Children at that age are very imaginative and it is completely normal to have imaginary friends. In fact, studies have shown that children with imaginary friends turn out to be more cooperative, creative, independent, and happy than those without. I'd say, just go with it but do not overindulge your child's fantasies too much. He will outgrow his friend as he grows older :)

Now that I am reading your question, it brings back memories about ny daughter's three imaginary friends when she was around 4 years old. She would talk about Ah bra, gu gu and Shiny ALL THE TIME. The experiences that she relates sounded so real that I was really wondering if they were real and started asking her teachers if they had any one by those names. In the end, I figured they must be imaginary and frankly speaking I was abit concerned initially. But many of my friends told me that she will outgrow it and true enough, after she turned 5, one fine day, I suddenly realised that she never mentioned them anymore. She is eight now and when I asked her if she remembers these 3 friends of hers....guess what? No!

haha.. I used to have imaginary friends myself. I am the youngest in the family and have big age gaps from my sister and brother. They are at school and I'm alone most of the time. Thinking back, I would say that I am fully aware that they are part of my imagination (I do not "see" them as any "physical" form and just imagined their characters/personalities). I grew out of it but they will always remain as part of my childhood (they are my playmates!). haha.. I would like to think that I turn out normal (and fine!). So, don't be too worried. :)

My 4.5 yrs old gal is having imaginary friends too! She will talk to them as if they are really there. They have tea party, birthday celebrations, choosing clothes to go out and even putting on make up tog. At one point, my hub and I were so scared until she told us, that she is only pretending and knew there was no friends there at all. I think is she wishes for more friends.

I read this and I quite agree! http://www.babble.com/toddler/imaginary-friends-early-child-development-imagination/ Having imaginary friends means a child can put himself in another's shoes. Both for imagination and empathy, that's a good thing!

having imaginary friend now is fine but not in the long run. u kight wish to bring him around to socialize, hae interaction with other kids. well, normally the so called friend or friends will suddenly disappear out of a sudden. relax.

My daughter sometimes talk with her imaginative friend. I think almost every children have this moment. I don't concern much about it.

Dazzle Ng, I read the link....nice informative article. thanks.

Chin Yin...thanks and I agree it may be the desire for friends.