Creative play is a vital part of a childs personal development. Through creative play children are able to develop skills that will help them to share thoughts, feelings and ideas which in turn will help them to develop emotionally, socially and intellectually. Creative children also tend to grasp new words quickly, experience fewer moments of boredom and overall tend to do better at school. The best thing is creativity in children is something that can be developed through effective playtime! Coming up with ways to play creatively doesn’t have to be stressful or take a lot of time… I’ve come up with a few ideas below for each age group.
For your younger ones
Babies and toddlers rely on toys to explore essential abilities such as their coordination and space assessment. If you’ve seen young babies trying to play, you’ve probably noticed that they find it tricky to judge the distance or even to grab the toy that’s in front of them. However, the more they play, the better they learn to control their bodies. As they do, they start to develop their imagination through musical and colourful toys. Nothing beats the entertainment this age group gains from sensory toys such as a kick car toy. The mixture of colours, textures and sounds awakes their creative side, helping them to make sense of the world around them.
For curious preschoolers
Preschoolers have excellent coordination. However, their interests have evolved and they now want to take an active part in the game. Their reward is the creation of a new shape, such as building a house out of wood blocks or combining Lego Duplo to make a small animal. As they engage with the toys, they also discover a new creative process; the art of making things.
For school-aged children
Primary-school students and very young teens can reach a new phase of the creative process. They are not only making things, but they can also make up stories with a clear narrative. Indeed, while young children can copy the adults around them in their games, most school-aged children are able to develop an entirely new character without any personal reference. To encourage their imagination, you can focus on quality doll houses – such as Melody Jane dolls houses – with accessories or action figures and cars – depending on your child’s interest. Ultimately, children develop their ability to differentiate facts from fiction during this period and master complex grammar forms.
For older children up to teens
Last, but not least, older children can unlock the key to their imagination through books. Indeed, the act of reading encourages children to create an imaginary world using only the words printed on the paper. For parents, it’s a good idea to offer a mixture of classics and contemporary children fiction as a way to stretch their creative muscles. During this period, children develop their vocabulary and emotional intelligence, as they can experience a variety of feelings through books.
From the first moments your baby interacts with the world you can help them to grow by giving them opportunities to interact with the world and stimulate their senses using creative play. Have Fun x
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