Behavior & Social

Toddler Has an Imaginary Friend

Medically reviewed by Dr. Emily Torres, PhD, CCC-SLP · Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist

Content reviewed against published AAP, NIH, Zero to Three guidelines

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Behavioral development varies greatly from child to child. If you have noticed toddler has an imaginary friend, here is what you need to know.

The short answer

Imaginary friends are a normal and healthy part of childhood development. Research shows that up to 65% of children have an imaginary friend at some point, most commonly between ages 2.5 and 7. Children with imaginary friends often have advanced language skills, greater creativity, better social understanding, and stronger emotional processing. An imaginary friend is a sign of a healthy imagination, not a problem.

Key takeaways

  • Imaginary friends are a normal and healthy part of childhood development. Research shows that up to 65% of children have an imaginary friend at some point, most commonly between ages 2.5 and 7. Children with imaginary friends often have advanced language skills, greater creativity, better social understanding, and stronger emotional processing. An imaginary friend is a sign of a healthy imagination, not a problem.
  • Usually normal when: Imaginary friends between ages 2-7 are very common
  • Call your doctor if: Your child reports the imaginary friend is scary and they cannot make it go away
  • Varies by age — see the age-by-age breakdown below

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What Parents Should Know

According to AAP, NIH, Zero to Three guidelines, imaginary friends are a normal and healthy part of childhood development. Research shows that up to 65% of children have an imaginary friend at some point, most commonly between ages 2.5 and 7. Children with imaginary friends often have advanced language skills, greater creativity, better social understanding, and stronger emotional processing. An imaginary friend is a sign of a healthy imagination, not a problem. At 12-24 months, true imaginary friends are rare at this age, but early pretend play is emerging. Your toddler may talk to stuffed animals or treat dolls as real. This is the beginning of symbolic play and is a positive developmental sign. It is generally considered normal when imaginary friends between ages 2-7 are very common. However, you should contact your pediatrician promptly if your child reports the imaginary friend is scary and they cannot make it go away.

Sources: [1], [2], [3]

Normal vs. Concerning

Usually Normal
Worth Discussing
Imaginary friends between ages 2-7 are very common
Your child reports the imaginary friend is scary and they cannot make it go away
Your child knows the friend is pretend when asked directly
Your child is hurting others and blaming the imaginary friend consistently
Your child has real friendships alongside the imaginary one
Your child insists the imaginary friend is completely real and becomes very distressed when questioned
The imaginary friend helps your child process feelings and practice social skills
The imaginary friend tells your child to do harmful things

By Age

What to expect by age

12-24 months

True imaginary friends are rare at this age, but early pretend play is emerging. Your toddler may talk to stuffed animals or treat dolls as real. This is the beginning of symbolic play and is a positive developmental sign.

2-3 years

Imaginary friends often first appear during this period. They may be invisible people, talking animals, or characters with names and personalities. Your child may insist on setting a place at the table or buckling the imaginary friend into the car. Play along - this supports their imaginative development.

3-5 years

Peak imaginary friend age. The friend may have elaborate backstories, opinions, and adventures. Children often use imaginary friends to process emotions, practice social skills, and work through fears. They know the friend is not real but enjoy the pretend. This is creative and healthy.

5-7 years

Imaginary friends typically fade as children develop more complex real-world social relationships. Some children maintain imaginary friends longer, which is still normal. If your child relies exclusively on an imaginary friend and avoids real social connections, discuss with your pediatrician.

What to Tell Your Pediatrician

  • Describe when you first noticed toddler has an imaginary friend and how it has changed over time.
  • Note your baby's current age and which age-specific patterns you are seeing.
  • Mention if your child insists the imaginary friend is completely real and becomes very distressed when questioned.
  • Mention if the imaginary friend tells your child to do harmful things.
  • Let your doctor know if you have noticed any related concerns, such as changes in feeding, sleep, or movement patterns.
  • Bring a list of any questions or observations you want to discuss at the appointment.

What Should You Do?

When to take action

Probably normal when...
  • Imaginary friends between ages 2-7 are very common
  • Your child knows the friend is pretend when asked directly
  • Your child has real friendships alongside the imaginary one
  • The imaginary friend helps your child process feelings and practice social skills
Mention at your next visit when...
  • Your child insists the imaginary friend is completely real and becomes very distressed when questioned
  • The imaginary friend tells your child to do harmful things
  • Your child has no real friends and relies exclusively on the imaginary one
  • The imaginary friend causes significant disruption to daily life
Act now when...
  • Your child reports the imaginary friend is scary and they cannot make it go away
  • Your child is hurting others and blaming the imaginary friend consistently

What You Can Do at Home

  • Keep track of when you notice toddler has an imaginary friend — noting the time of day, duration, and any triggers can help your pediatrician.
  • Remember that imaginary friends between ages 2-7 are very common — this is generally within the range of normal.
  • At 12-24 months, focus on observation rather than intervention unless your pediatrician advises otherwise.
  • Respond consistently and calmly to your baby's behavior. Maintain predictable daily routines.
  • While monitoring at home, seek immediate care if your child reports the imaginary friend is scary and they cannot make it go away.

When Toddlers Start Lying: Is It Normal?

Lying actually requires sophisticated cognitive abilities including understanding that other people have different knowledge than you do (theory of mind), imagining an alternative reality, and controlling your expression. When your toddler first lies (typically around age 2-3), it is actually a cognitive milestone, not a moral failing. Most early lies are wish fulfillment ("I did not eat the cookie" while covered in crumbs) or fantasy, not calculated deception.

When Do Toddlers Develop Empathy?

Empathy develops gradually through childhood and is not fully mature until adolescence. Toddlers show the earliest signs of empathy around 18-24 months when they may become upset seeing someone else cry or offer their own comfort object to a distressed person. True cognitive empathy - understanding how someone else feels and why - does not develop until around age 4-5. Your toddler is not lacking empathy; it simply has not developed yet.

Normal Fears at Different Ages

Fears are a normal part of cognitive development. As your child's brain matures, they become able to imagine dangers they could not comprehend before. This means new fears often appear alongside cognitive growth - it is a sign that your child's thinking is becoming more sophisticated. Most childhood fears are temporary and resolve on their own with gentle support.

Building Emotional Intelligence in Toddlers

Emotional intelligence (EQ) - the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions in yourself and others - begins developing in early childhood. You build your toddler's EQ every time you name their feelings, validate their experience, help them understand others' emotions, and model healthy emotional expression yourself. This is one of the most important gifts you can give your child.

Milestone

Month-by-Month Development

Detailed monthly development guides from birth through 24 months.

Guide

When to Call the Doctor

General guide on when to call the pediatrician, visit urgent care, or go to the ER.

Frequently asked questions

Is toddler has an imaginary friend normal?
Imaginary friends are a normal and healthy part of childhood development. Research shows that up to 65% of children have an imaginary friend at some point, most commonly between ages 2.5 and 7. Children with imaginary friends often have advanced language skills, greater creativity, better social understanding, and stronger emotional processing. An imaginary friend is a sign of a healthy imagination, not a problem.
When should I call the doctor about toddler has an imaginary friend?
Your child reports the imaginary friend is scary and they cannot make it go away Your child is hurting others and blaming the imaginary friend consistently
When is toddler has an imaginary friend normal?
Imaginary friends between ages 2-7 are very common Your child knows the friend is pretend when asked directly Your child has real friendships alongside the imaginary one
What causes toddler has an imaginary friend?
Imaginary friends are a normal and healthy part of childhood development. Research shows that up to 65% of children have an imaginary friend at some point, most commonly between ages 2.5 and 7. Children with imaginary friends often have advanced language skills, greater creativity, better social understanding, and stronger emotional processing. An imaginary friend is a sign of a healthy imagination, not a problem. Common explanations include: Imaginary friends between ages 2-7 are very common. Your child knows the friend is pretend when asked directly.
What should I mention to my pediatrician about toddler has an imaginary friend?
You should mention toddler has an imaginary friend at your next visit if: Your child insists the imaginary friend is completely real and becomes very distressed when questioned. The imaginary friend tells your child to do harmful things. Your child has no real friends and relies exclusively on the imaginary one.
Is toddler has an imaginary friend normal at 12-24 months?
True imaginary friends are rare at this age, but early pretend play is emerging. Your toddler may talk to stuffed animals or treat dolls as real. This is the beginning of symbolic play and is a positive developmental sign.
Is toddler has an imaginary friend normal at 2-3 years?
Imaginary friends often first appear during this period. They may be invisible people, talking animals, or characters with names and personalities. Your child may insist on setting a place at the table or buckling the imaginary friend into the car. Play along - this supports their imaginative development.
Should I go to the ER for toddler has an imaginary friend?
Seek emergency care if your child reports the imaginary friend is scary and they cannot make it go away, or if your child is hurting others and blaming the imaginary friend consistently. When in doubt, call your pediatrician's after-hours line for guidance.
Does toddler has an imaginary friend go away on its own?
In many cases, toddler has an imaginary friend resolves on its own, especially when imaginary friends between ages 2-7 are very common. By 5-7 years, imaginary friends typically fade as children develop more complex real-world social relationships. Some children maintain imaginary friends longer, which is still normal. If your child relies exclusively on an imaginary friend and avoids real social connections, discuss with your pediatrician.
AAPNIHZERO TO THREE

References

  1. [1]American Academy of Pediatrics. Imaginary Friends. HealthyChildren.org. AAP
  2. [2]Taylor M et al. The characteristics and correlates of fantasy in school-age children. Dev Psychol. 2004;40(6):1173-1187. NIH
  3. [3]Zero to Three. Pretend Play: How It Supports Development. Zero to Three

Doctor Visit Checklist

Bring this checklist to your next pediatrician visit to discuss Toddler Has an Imaginary Friend.

Things to mention

  • Describe when you first noticed toddler has an imaginary friend and how it has changed over time.
  • Note your baby's current age and which age-specific patterns you are seeing.
  • Mention if your child insists the imaginary friend is completely real and becomes very distressed when questioned.
  • Mention if the imaginary friend tells your child to do harmful things.
  • Let your doctor know if you have noticed any related concerns, such as changes in feeding, sleep, or movement patterns.
  • Bring a list of any questions or observations you want to discuss at the appointment.

Observations to share

  • Your child insists the imaginary friend is completely real and becomes very distressed when questioned
  • The imaginary friend tells your child to do harmful things
  • Your child has no real friends and relies exclusively on the imaginary one

Urgent signs to report immediately

  • Your child reports the imaginary friend is scary and they cannot make it go away
  • Your child is hurting others and blaming the imaginary friend consistently

My notes

From ismybabyalright.com — free, evidence-based baby health guides

All content follows our editorial policy and is reviewed against published clinical guidelines.

2,705 evidence-based guides6 authoritative medical sources5 medical advisory board members

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Bottom line

Most cases of toddler has an imaginary friend are normal. Talk to your pediatrician if your child reports the imaginary friend is scary and they cannot make it go away.

Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician. Worrying about your baby means you care — that is a good thing.

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When Toddlers Start Lying: Is It Normal?

Lying actually requires sophisticated cognitive abilities including understanding that other people have different knowledge than you do (theory of mind), imagining an alternative reality, and controlling your expression. When your toddler first lies (typically around age 2-3), it is actually a cognitive milestone, not a moral failing. Most early lies are wish fulfillment ("I did not eat the cookie" while covered in crumbs) or fantasy, not calculated deception.

When Do Toddlers Develop Empathy?

Empathy develops gradually through childhood and is not fully mature until adolescence. Toddlers show the earliest signs of empathy around 18-24 months when they may become upset seeing someone else cry or offer their own comfort object to a distressed person. True cognitive empathy - understanding how someone else feels and why - does not develop until around age 4-5. Your toddler is not lacking empathy; it simply has not developed yet.

Normal Fears at Different Ages

Fears are a normal part of cognitive development. As your child's brain matures, they become able to imagine dangers they could not comprehend before. This means new fears often appear alongside cognitive growth - it is a sign that your child's thinking is becoming more sophisticated. Most childhood fears are temporary and resolve on their own with gentle support.

Building Emotional Intelligence in Toddlers

Emotional intelligence (EQ) - the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions in yourself and others - begins developing in early childhood. You build your toddler's EQ every time you name their feelings, validate their experience, help them understand others' emotions, and model healthy emotional expression yourself. This is one of the most important gifts you can give your child.

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