Have you ever listened in as your child engages in imaginary play with
his toys or friends? You will probably hear some words and phrases you
never thought he knew! In fact, we often hear our own words reflected
in the play of children. Kids can do a perfect imitation of mom, dad,
and the teacher! Pretend play helps your child understand the power of
language. In addition, by pretend playing with others, he learns that
words give him the means to reenact a story or organize play. This
process helps your child to make the connection between spoken and
written language — a skill that will later help him learn to read.
http://www.playsafekids.com.au/