What is imagination?
Imagination is a thinking (or cognitive) skill. It often involves abstract skills. Examples include the ability to project yourself forward and backwards in time, and the ability to think of something that is not present, or you have not experienced before.
It also means that your brain can use past experiences and knowledge and also the unknown to come up with completely new ideas.
When children play, they use their imagination. They might pretend play; role play or dress up.
Children on the autism spectrum tend to find these types of play more difficult.