Hi I agree with jessgore my daughter talks to some by the name of Johnny & we don't know anyone by that name.

Yesterday we were in the back yard with my parents & she started pointing at the kitchen window & my mother asked what she was pointing at & she said Johnny.

Mum asked is Johnny in the kitchen & she said yes he's going to come & play with me & then she sat down at her table & chairs & started having a conversation with this Johnny.

Now either she has an excellent imagination or this Johnny really exists.

I asked my mum is this normal behaviour & she said it is perfectly normal so I have no problems.

my son plays with his cars and has little chats to himself about it ,, all a part of growing up and interacting .. its a good thing

It could mean many things!  But two things come to my mind the most...

One he is talking to someone on the other side... I say this because there was a time when he used to look like he was trying to get some one to pick him up. He was talking and trying to stand up and fell down then laughed all the time looking up as if he was looking up at the person he wanted to pick him up....   it was a little freaky to watch... It was so intense yet he was having so much fun....

And second.... He has a great imagination.  Able to play by himself.... My sons imagination seems to be stuck running cars around the house at the moment.. But he talks, vroom vrooms, and all sorts of things... I think it is also a sign that he is just a happy little fellow.. :)

Chatting to themselves is a good thing.  You find out a lot of things about htem - what they are hearing, how they perceive things, they act out scenarios, role-play, use their imagination, grow their imagination.  If their is a lot of aggression in their role-play, perhaps that is what they are witnessing - either in life or in tv.  You'll know what feels right and what you need to change around them by listening.  Usually, it is just role-play though and growth of imagination which is encouraged at preschool and kindy and childcare.  Dont worry about it - listen to it from time to time though for your own amusement or curiosity - but dont let them know you are listening.

Sometimes, my son plays aggressively.  He often has been watching a lot of Powerrangers at the time, or maybe he is just copying my yelling and stress levels at time, which is a timely reminder to pull my head in and check my own attitude.  Then show him how to play nicely if it doesn't sound very "social".

Use it to your advantage, but respect it.

Chatting to themselves is a good thing.  You find out a lot of things about htem - what they are hearing, how they perceive things, they act out scenarios, role-play, use their imagination, grow their imagination.  If their is a lot of aggression in their role-play, perhaps that is what they are witnessing - either in life or in tv.  You'll know what feels right and what you need to change around them by listening.  Usually, it is just role-play though and growth of imagination which is encouraged at preschool and kindy and childcare.  Dont worry about it - listen to it from time to time though for your own amusement or curiosity - but dont let them know you are listening.

Sometimes, my son plays aggressively.  He often has been watching a lot of Powerrangers at the time, or maybe he is just copying my yelling and stress levels at time, which is a timely reminder to pull my head in and check my own attitude.  Then show him how to play nicely if it doesn't sound very "social".

Use it to your advantage, but respect it.

ok thanks for all those answers what if they are saYING THEY NEVER WANNA SEE SOMEONE AGAIN UNLESS MUMMY SAYS THEY HAVE TO !

THANKS

Confession - I still talk to myself!  I have a pretty vivid imagination and when a scenario comes into my head I sometimes talk it out.  Pretty embarassing if someone catches me out.  If your child is anything like me, they may have the same vivid imagination but not yet have learnt what is socially acceptable and what is not.  I would think the comment that they are playing and talking to themselves is just to reassure you that they know there is noone else there even if it might sound like there is.

Unless there's something else going on that's concerning you, I wouldn't let this worry you. 

Like the other's say, I guess it depends what they are saying?  I think often when they are playing and talking to themselves they just repeat things that they have seen and heard.  It doesn't necessarily mean that they believe it, or mean it - they are just acting out.

You sound worried, is everything ok?

Hannah often chats to her thomas trains when she's playing or to her puppy toys while she's playing.  She talks to the dog too.  I don't think anything of it unless she talks about shooting people that aren't her friend, then I step in and have a talk to her about it but mostly it's just harmless things.

Well....I guess it depends on what they are saying and in what context.

Does it sound like a 2 person conversation???

If so.....keep in mind...children under 8yr are tapped into other energies around them

( if ya know what I mean ) so that too may be an explanation.

Kids talk and make noises when they play there isn't too much too it unless they are souding aggressive, as the other mums said just listen in and see what story is being told. Usually it means they are contented in play.

Connor chats constantly to himself when he is playing. There is nothing in it, but I do listen in to check it out. Connor can make up a whole story book about whatever he is doing and it can last for hours.

Sometimes it can be that he has had a bad time with his brothers or someone at school and is quietly cursing them and acting out games with his toys and things like this car is running over dave etc. He certainly never means that he wants to run him over or see him dead or hurt, he is just voicing his frustration.

Just depends on what is going on with them and what they are saying. I would be concerned if someones name is coming up frequently in a bad way.

 a child means what they say when talking to themself  if they are upset  with something that happened that day , others they playing out in what they hear  around them and means nothing .

so i just listen to what they are saying and you know which one it is  i be talking to her or him if you know something upsetting them

julie