Date : July 22, 2023
Creative play is a vital part of childhood and your child’s mental and physical development. Through creative play, your child can develop important physical and social skills they’ll need throughout their lives. It’s also a wonderful way for them to share their thoughts and ideas.
But in a world where technology is king, how do you encourage them to put down their iPad and look away from their screens long enough to spark their imaginations? Check out these great ideas and encourage your child to play creatively!
Benefits of creative play for kids
With young children, there are huge benefits to encouraging creative play. It has a vital role in their overall development, and aids in their physical, mental, and social well-being. It helps children to express or manage their emotions in positive and productive ways.
Creative play also provides a fun and interactive way of developing important life skills your child will need to succeed in life. These include developing problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and communication skills when playing with others. They also learn independence when playing alone, how to make decisions, social skills, and how to regulate their emotions. Your child will learn all the building blocks they will need to get them through childhood, school, and into adulthood. All through the power of creative play!
Creative play ideas for kids and pre-schoolers
There are so many ways you can encourage creative play with your children. Some of the best ways include:
Free time
It can be tempting to fill every waking hour with engaging activities and fun experiences for your child. But ensure they have plenty of free time to explore their imaginations and develop their own games.
Different play environments
Take your child to the beach, the park, the library, or even just let them play in the dirt in the backyard. Whether alone or with friends, playing outside in new environments encourages creativity and gets kids moving and burning off energy. Exploring new spaces encourages the development of different skills.
Boredom
Don’t rush to fix “I’m bored!” complaints. Boredom is fantastic for creative play, as your child will need to come up with their own ways to entertain themselves.
Open-ended toys
Provide your child with toys that have more than one use – blocks, puppets, dress-up costumes, and art supplies, for example. Just don’t provide too many, or your child may be overwhelmed or over-stimulated.
Embrace the mess
If your child is playing, try not to interrupt them to clean up. This kind of disruption can be distracting and can curb their creative imaginations in favour of not making a mess. Start off with some ground rules for their play, and maybe put down a sheet to protect the floor.
Spend time together
Get down on the floor and play with your child. Let them lead the play rather than applying your own structure – you’ll be surprised at where their imaginations might take you!
Browse more clever ideas to spark creativity in your child
– no screens allowed!
Librarian Bec
Right now, Librarian Bec’s hard at work at your local library, sharing a passion for reading with little people and big. Bec writes about inspiring little readers and embracing lovely literature.
