Imaginary friends ousted by distractions of technology

IT WAS once one of life’s most innocent pleasures. But for the children of 2017, asking whether they have an imaginary friend is likely to prompt a blank stare.

Almost a fifth (17 per cent) of parents said that their children, aged between three and 10 years old, had a made-up friend or had played with one in the past, a survey has found.

It suggests a sharp drop since 2001, when a study found that just under 50 per cent of children either had or had previously had an imaginary friend.

The recent survey of 2,000 parents, carried out by Snazaroo, a face paint firm, found a correlation between a decrease in children having imaginary friends and a rise in the use of technology, such as computers, tablets, mobile phones and console games.

The study also found that imaginary friends are most likely to appear when a child is three, although they usually disappear by the time children reach the age of seven.

‘Imaginary characters can help them make sense of their world or provide an escape from it’

The top five names for imaginary pals were Jack, Ellie, Bob, Ben and Charlie – with 55 per cent of make-believe friends being a human being, with the rest being animals, mainly cats, dogs and unicorns. Of those children who do have imaginary friends, most admitted blaming them for not eating vegetables, making a mess, being naughty, pinching siblings and hiding in strange places.

Dr Amanda Gummer, founder and chief executive of Fundamentally Children, said that imaginative play was crucial to a child’s development.

She said: “Imaginative play is hugely beneficial for children – being able to transport themselves into make-believe worlds with imaginary characters can help them make sense of their world or provide an escape from it.

“Suspending reality gives children the opportunity to think outside of the box and be as creative as they like, with none of the restrictions that are placed on real-life activity. Parents can help ... by providing them with a balanced play diet and managing the amount of time children spend as passive receivers of digital content.”