At the age of 4 to 7 years, children are entering the intuitive stage. At this period, his/her imagination is growing rapidly, so no wonder in some occasion he/she is still confusing to distinguish between reality and fantasy. For him, Santa Claus or Superman, for example, is real and living side by side with him/her.
Fantasy is normal and some researcher believe that fantasy and imagination could develop his or her sense and attract his or her brain development. But sometimes because of this growing imagination, then what is told by child feels inconsequential and less sense to adults, so often misinterpreted as a form of lying.
There are 3 causes child lie fantasy. First, as a form of compensation. For example, the child told us that he just had a fight with the giant. “Heroism is a form of compensation. He knew he was still small and weak amid the world is so big, so he compensate with the excitement that can be equivalent to an adult.
The second cause is to demonstrate the superior expression. For example, his return visit from the zoo, the child with the passionate telling his friends that he met a dinosaur. This shows the superior of his friends, that you have never seen a dinosaur but I’ve never seen it. Little wants to show his identity and wants to be noticed by the environment or the other. He had certain impressions that can be exploited. In this story, then he will be surrounded by his friends who interested to his story.
The last one is as an expression of desire. For example, your children told you that he had just met with a kitten who is looking for his mother. Well, it could be actually an expression of himself. Perhaps he felt alienated and in need of protection from their parents. Therefore, parents should be more sensitive about it.
At these ages, children and their fantasy could stimulate their creativity, but thus sometimes it could cause trouble as we have discuss earlier. Stopping his/her imagination also not a good solutions, while giving direction and understanding is the best.