Encourage Imagination
For the development of the imagination, playing is an absolutely essential ingredient. And the best part about encouraging such playfulness is that it is actually quite fun for us adults as well.
Three ways to encourage creativity and imagination are touched on briefly below. These suggestions involve play materials, different methods of play, and most of all the time we reserve for such activities within our everyday hectic schedules.
1. Provide diverse types of play materials. In providing toys for young children, offer some that have targeted learning goals and some that don’t require a specific right action or answer. Examples of the former would be puzzles (each piece goes in only one place) and many video games. Examples of toys that encourage open-ended or unstructured play are dolls, blocks and cars.
Because of the concern for getting children ready for formal learning in kindergarten, both parents and teachers place a great deal of emphasis on targeted-learning toys. That is all well and good and important, but it shouldn’t overshadow the need to provide toys that allow the child to bring her own ideas to the playing field.
2. Encourage different methods of play. Much of the play that encourages imagination will be done alone, and this is important. So are opportunities for children to play together, as such play frequently involves imaginative activities. But don’t rule out the importance of your own occasional participation in your child’s play activities.
For example, suppose your son or daughter has laid a roadbed of blocks and is pretending to fill the gas tank of a small automobile. You might ask, “How much are they charging for gas today? Do you think you could get it cheaper down the street?” Such questioning will probably lead to the making of a second service station or a long speech about the bargain at the existing one. You might even offer to supply slips of paper to advertise the gas price.
If the activity is a tea party for dolls, ask if you can attend. When given a cup of make-believe tea, ask if you can have lemon or sugar. Or, act as though the tea is so hot that it burned your lips. That kind of interaction stimulates further thought about the pretend activity.
3. Make certain that the daily schedule allows time for imaginative play. There’s no question that imaginative play gets unfortunately cut in today’s families and schools. Many 4- and 5-year-olds come home from childcare or preschool with homework. It’s hard to find time to go into the backyard and swing high, pretending to be a bird, when you have to finish two sheets of letters and number exercises before dinner. The key here is to MAKE TIME… your child will forever thank you.
