It is normal for preschool children to have imaginary friends. It is more common in first born or only children, especially if they have a creative imagination. An imaginary friend can provide companionship, allow her to be in charge of and control someone, and allow her to experience many of the good and bad things that she dreams about.

If your child also is social and interacts with other children, then there is little to worry about if she has one or more imaginary friends. This is also a private part of your child's life, so unless she asks you to take part in her fantasy life, you should respect her privacy and stay out of this fantasy world.

 
Daycare Index would like to thank Vincent Iannelli, M.D. for this information in striving to make Daycare Index an efficient and useful tool for parents. All material was used by permission of Keep Kids Healthy, LLC., which can be found on the Web at www.keepkidshealthy.com. All rights reserved.