Sarah Punkoney explains the kinds of benefits dramatic play can bring to your kids. She lays out four main areas:

There are four primary areas under which children learn and develop through pretend play.  They include:

• Intellectual – increase in skills such as problem solving, negotiating, creativity, organizing and planning, retelling familiar stories, application of newly gained knowledge, and mathematics
• Physical – increase in skills such as gross and fin motor development, fitness, strength, and coordination
• Social – development of skills such as sharing, taking turns, cooperation, negotiation, impulse control, delay gratification, and deal with disappointment
• Emotional – increase in self esteem, pride and accomplishment, feeling of safety and protection, development of sense of self and individuality, and feelings or purpose

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