If your child has an imaginary friend, they’re not alone. It’s common for toddlers and young children to have pretend friends that they share experiences with. Imaginary friends can be other ...

Is your child all of a sudden playing with an imaginary friend? Parents whose children develop an invisible playmate might be wondering why this is happening or what it means. Dr. Ashley M.

Anna North is a senior correspondent for Vox, where she covers American family life, work, and education. Previously, she was an editor and writer at the New York Times. She is also the author of ...

As young people increasingly turn to AI companion bots for comfort and advice, what looks harmless and innocuous on the surface is taking a sinister turn. Chloe Combi reports on a the ‘friendship AI’ ...

Child psychologist Linda Blair writes all about imaginary friends, why some children have them and what to do if you're worried about them. Have you ever settled on the sofa next to your child ...

In past research, boys have been observed inventing only male imaginary friends, whereas girls have either male or female ones. Children with invisible friends can readily describe what these ...

Maya Rudolph and the late Louis Gossett Jr. The idea to make a film about imaginary friends started and evolved with his kids, whom he shares with actor Emily Blunt (who also voices a character).

All around them, in the normal course of growing up, other children are abandoning their imaginary friends, who start to fade the instant their creators forget them, dissolving into clouds of ...

An earlier version of this story appeared in Kids Today, Vox’s newsletter about kids, for everyone. Sign up here for future editions. A Vox reader asks, “Why do children often have imaginary ...