| Imaginative play is an important part of childhood. Not | | | | for imaginative play. It is not desirable that every |
| only is it fun for children but it is also an essential part | | | | moment of every day be structured and planned. |
| of learning and developing. Children learn about | | | | Children who are not given the opportunity to |
| themselves, about their world, and lay the | | | | exercise their imagination run the risk of losing the |
| groundwork for their future through imaginative play. | | | | ability to use it at all. |
| Yet too many children are not encouraged to use | | | | Does your child have the supplies for imaginative |
| their imagination through play. There are three | | | | play? As we know from our own childhood that |
| essential ways you can encourage imaginative play in | | | | imaginative play does not require extensive and |
| your child -- by providing the place, the time, and the | | | | elaborate supplies, but children do need access to |
| supplies. | | | | objects they can use. A complex wardrobe is not |
| Does your child have a place for imaginative play? Is | | | | necessary but a few items can be helpful. A bath |
| there somewhere, even the corner of a room, | | | | towel might be a king's robe or a super hero's cape |
| where they can build a block city or shape play | | | | or swaddling for a baby. A cardboard tube from |
| dough monsters? Can they assemble all their stuffed | | | | wrapping paper might be a sword, the container for |
| animals into a school or all their cars into a parade? | | | | a secret map, or a spyglass. A cardboard box might |
| While children should be encouraged to pick up after | | | | be everything from a treasure chest to a race car. |
| themselves sometimes it takes a while to build the | | | | Provide a few basic supplies and try not to be too |
| city of their dreams and they want time to play with | | | | suggestive in their use. Children will do better if |
| it again. Try to strike a balance between your need | | | | allowed to give their imagination free rein without |
| for order and their need for imaginative play. Give | | | | your interference and control. |
| them a day or so to create a complex setting for | | | | Imaginative play can be a wonderful opportunity for |
| their imaginative play before forcing them to put | | | | your child to not only enjoy their childhood but also |
| away their toys. | | | | to learn and grow as people by trying on different |
| Does your child have the time for imaginative play? It | | | | roles such as parents, cooks, police officers, and |
| is amazing how many young children have a very full | | | | firefighters but also to experience safe adventures |
| schedule. While many of these activities are likely | | | | as pirates, explorers and paleontologists. Imaginative |
| required, such as school or day care, and many are | | | | play should be encouraged in children by allowing |
| also desirable, such as sports or clubs, it is also | | | | them the place, the time, and the supplies for |
| important that children be given the opportunity for | | | | imaginative play. |
| free, unstructured play that allows the opportunity | | | | |