Imaginary friends are on the decline thanks to technology!
What happened to all the Drop Dead Freds or Bing Bongs of the world?
Remember the movie “Drop Dead Fred?” Snotface! Imaginary friends were very common among children in the 80’s and 90s. Those invisible pals were the ones you’d blame for bad behaviour or making a mess.
According to a face painting company Snazaroo, imaginary friend’s has declined 17% since 2001.
The cause is not just children growing out of these friends but rather the popularity of technology…Sad!
Children no longer need to create friends in their imagination because they can be entertained by all their favourite TV shows and game characters. The situation tells us something about children these days. Children spend so much time on devices and less time being creative, its a problem.
Dr Amanda Gummer, founder and CEO of Fundamentally Children, says:
‘Imaginative play is hugely beneficial for children – being able to transport themselves into make-believe worlds with imaginary characters can help them make sense of their world or provide an escape from it (something that supports good mental health in later life). ‘Suspending reality give children the opportunity to think outside of the box and be as creative as they like, with none of the restrictions that are placed on real-life activity.’
