Cathrinal Silvia

In a room full of eight-year-olds, everyone’s busy talking to each other. But suddenly, Shiva leaves to talk to ‘SuperKid,’ an imaginary friend who is waiting to take him on a space adventure. Shiva feels compelled to explain to Superkid why he can’t join him on his adventure right now, but will do later at bedtime.

Does your child have a imaginary friend too? If she does, there’s nothing wrong with her. It is perfectly normal, and, in fact, good.
According to a 2004 study by Washington and Oregon universities, an estimated 65 percent of children have an imaginary companion (IC) at least once in a lifetime with children aged three-four years — experiencing rapid brain development — most likely to have ICs. A more recent 2021 study by Masahiro Imafuku, a Tokyo-based researcher, found that children with excellent sketching abilities are more likely to have ICs.

Is it unusual for children to spend time with an imaginary friend? No. Sharing and discussing problems with even an imaginary person stimulates the brain to ideate and think. Several studies have shown that children with imaginary friends are more likely to be firstborns or only children, but contrary to popular belief, they are not lonelier or more shy than others. In fact, they tend to be creative extroverts. According to psychologists, imaginary companions offer healthy opportunities for children to experience things they can’t have in real life — such as a space adventure. Imaginary play offers children a rare chance to be in complete control.

Parents shouldn’t worry about children and their imaginary companions unless they become reclusive and refuse to participate in school/play activities with peers. Friendship with an imaginary person is pleasant and positive for youngest children. As children transition out of early childhood, ICs typically become less important and are usually forgotten.