Child's Play: Getting Your Child To Use Their
Imagination
by Jill Brennan
Every small child loves to play. "Playing
Pretend", or role playing, can not only be educational, but
also one of the cheapest games a child can play. Creative play
such as role playing can not only teach your child about the world,
but can also teach you a lot about your child.
What Are the Benefits of Role Playing With
Your Child?
1. Playing with your child allows you to better
understand your child. Sure, you may always be playing the same
thing, but this also can give you insight into how your child
thinks and what he or she is feeling. If your child is going through
a stressful situation (such as a divorce, a new baby, a death,
a move, etc.), pretending may give you insights into how to help
your child cope with change. Children rarely "pretend themselves"
into stressful situations they have no control over.
2. Role Playing games give your child opportunities
for mental growth and learning. Children can experiment and explore
new ideas and new ways of thinking in a safe environment that
can be ended at any time.
3. Pretending builds problem-solving skills.
While role playing, children can be placed into safe situations
that require them to make choices and decisions. When you are
playing right next to them, they know they are safe. Many parents,
teachers, and law-enforcement agencies encourage you to role-play
more dangerous situations to teach your children how to react
(Stranger Danger).
4. Role playing encourages self-expression
and helps them cope with their feelings. For the most part, try
to allow your child to determine what goes on during play. Allow
them to be the directors and script writers.
5. Pretending fosters their imagination. Television
and video games rob children of imagination and independent thinking.
Imagination helps us set goals and gives us the hope needed to
achieve them.
You and your child can come up with many more
ideas for creative play than just the five mentioned. If there
is a certain event about which you would like to tell your child
(such as Mommy and Daddy's upcoming split, stranger danger, the
new baby, the passing of a pet, etc.), why not use this method?
You may learn something you didn't know through your children's
self expression, plus you involve them in the problem solving.
Above all, your child will treasure the time you spend with him
or her.
Get all the information you need to help you
discover toys that will enhance your child's learning through
play: www.educationaltoysworld.com