Did you have an imaginary friend (or a whole band of merry imaginary companions) growing up? According to decades of research, the majority of people have had an imaginary friend at some point in their childhood. But are imaginary friends a cause for concern?
Generally, no. Clinical psychologist Kate Eshleman, Psy.D., of the Cleveland Clinic explains: “Children might use an imaginary friend to replay or work through things they experience in life. It’s a way to help them practice social skills and process things they see. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong with your child.”
To showcase the wonderful range of forms that imaginary friends can take, the AAA State of Play team have put together a collection of iconic imaginary friends from fiction. It’s a celebration of creativity, storytelling, and pretend play! We have included imaginary friends from books, movies, TV shows, and video games.