Preschoolers (aged 3-5) are learning to grasp the line between reality and fantasy. Telling a fib or tall tale is not an unusual way to explore this boundary at this age. Parents are often hardwired to react hotly to what they see as a lie. But this may not always be the best way to handle the situation.
Pediatric psychologist Mark Bowers says anyone under age 5 is too young to understand what a lie is. They don’t have the same cognitive capacity as a kindergarten-age kid who begins to learn the difference between right and wrong.