Imitation – Why it’s important to teach your child to copy and learn from others
Channel: 1to1 Therapy Services
Date: 2015-09-16

For more information about Imitation please visit our website at http://www.1to1therapy.ca/

IMPORTANCE OF IMITATION:

- Why are these skills important? 

- They will help your child develop social learning and new knowledge. 

- A young child will observe a parents facial expression or sounds and attempt to imitate 

- Imitation is a form of trial and error which allows children to learn through experience.

- It’s important for children to have the opportunity to experiment with imitation of facial expressions, sounds, words and actions.

- Children learn the sounds of language through imitation. For example, the infant will babble “mamama” and the parent will respond “mama”

- Children will experiment by imitating in play. For example, imitating shaking a rattle, banging a hammer, or pretending to cook or eat. 

- A toddler observes a parent cooking and then develops early pretend play. 

- Encouraging imitation skills helps your child to develop important cognitive, language and social skills. This will prepare your child to learn from others. 

- Imitation is a skill that may be difficult for children with autism spectrum disorder. Learning imitation is crucial as it allows a child to learn social skills through observation and imitation of others behaviour.