Encouraging our children to create in their play is very important. because as much as they use their imagination, they will be able to learn to play by themselves, and they will cooperate with others and develop their communication and cognitive abilities. our children in their playing and pretending games actually live out their dreams and imagination.
There are many different kinds of toys and games that encourage our children's imagination. For example kitchen sets include pretend kitchens with pretend food, gardening toys, doctor's sets, picnic sets, banks sets, dolls....etc. There are endless possibilities for sets of imagine play.
We have surely noticed our young children trying to play dress up with our clothes. so we can find them a lot of clothes, accessories and more, this will keep them busy for hours. It would be even better if we brought them specific costumes which match with their interests such as police costumes, fireman costumes, nurse and doctor costumes, princess costumes, animal costumes, chef costumes, bus driver costumes, teacher costumes, superhero costumes and many many more. If we even add accessories like hats, capes and tights, stuffed animals, baby dolls, serving trays and food, and much more ideas. our children will imagine their own stories and they will live in it, they will interest this play more and more (you can read more about that in what is imaginative play and play imagination).
Some imaginative plays are both fun and educational. If our children love to help in cleaning and gardening works. we have to enjoy that too. There are many different housekeeping toys, and if possible we can make these toys by our slves, it will be even more fun, we can use cartoon box to pretend electric brooms, or lawn mower, or pretend ironing by making some ironing boards. It will be very educational for our children to play with money by using cash registers. it's the best way for them to understand of how to use money. These games which make our children imagine will help them develop their motor skills and learn about money, math and shopping.
Children (especially boys) love to pretend being soldiers. they love to pretend using listening devices so they hear conversations in the next room, motion sensors and radios that let them stay in contact even if they are not in the same place, they can use a couple of plastic cups as communication instrument, Children can have hours of fun playing polis games with simple tools.
Dolls are the best way for children to imagine and act their own stories. Children oftenly love their dolls, which can be finger puppets, animals, princes and princesses and many more as well.
Some dolls can be in the shape of people, babies, children, moms and dads, teachers, policemen and firemen.... our children will have a great time playing with their dolls together. Children need to express themselves through playing and be encouraged to imagine. They love pretending to be other people that they know or have seen in their lives. It is important to have or even make various of toys and accessories at home so our children can imagine their stories and act them out.
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Role of play in child development