There's something funny that I have noticed: when they engage in pretend play, my children (and their friends) often use the past tense.

I'll give an example. Playing goes something like this (imagine, in this case, lots of Playmobil characters and horses with accessories, and a completely engaged couple of friends, moving different horses and characters around):

[CHILD 1] I was the horse riding teacher at the manege, and you were the student... And I had the white horse... 

[CHILD 2] Yes, and I had this black horse, with this brown saddle, and the brown pony...

[CHILD 1] Yes, and I had the other black horse as well and the two grey ponies with these saddles...

[DISPUTE -- change to present tense][CHILD 2] No! That's not fair because now you have two horses and two ponies and I only have one horse and one pony, so I want to have one of the grey ponies with the saddle!

[CHILD 1] OK but I'm the teacher so I want to have the horse blanket for my horse then!

[CHILD 2] Alright then...

[RESUME -- back to past][CHILD 1] OK so I had the white horse and the black horse with the blanket and the grey pony, and I was riding the white horse when you came for a lesson on your black horse and you said 'Please teach me to galop and to jump over these hurdles?'

[CHILD 2] 'Please teach me to galop and to jump over these hurdles?'  And then my horse saw your horse and they became friends, so their stable had to be located next to each other...

etc

It's really such an interesting way of communicating, and I find it fascinating that they use this special past tense while negotiating their pretend activities and to outline the 'stage' in their pretend play. I even developed a little theory about it -- I think that if in play, children use the past tense, it's more of a 'done deal' (since it basically 'happened') and evokes less arguments. (In the case that it does, the argument are settled in the present tense, only to go back to the past tense quickly after.)

I also noticed that it seems to happen more in girls' pretend play then that of boys-- the above (fictional) example could well have been played by Sara and one of her girl friends, where Pim with a boy friend is more likely to build giant Lego rockets or marble tracks or dinosaur parks or things like that, without much discussion or negotiating at all. However, Pim and Sara can play together for hours, cleverly combine dolls and horses with knights, war and dinosaurs -- and then they do use this special past tense then.

I just wonder -- does any of you also recognise this phenomenon? Or is this something that just happens in our little family? I would love to hear more about it -- I find it so sweet and funny!

xxx Esther