These days, it seems parents and their children are bombarded with many images pointing to the hottest new toy. Not advertised is the latest toy craze that is inexpensive, fun and good for your child: creativity.
Play for a child should be about the process, not the actual toy. Sometimes, the simpler the toy, the better. Activities that let children explore their creative sides help them learn. For kids, play is work – it’s how they learn who they are, what their roles are, what skills they have and how to get along with others.
Creative activities should be “open-ended.” In other words, let the child decide where the activity should go. A few thoughts to inspire creative play include:
- Tupperware containers or other household items that can teach sorting or grouping.
- Playdough or clay, which is an excellent activity for developing fine motor skills.
- Watercolors, which are easy to clean up.
- Reading, followed by making puppets or pictures to describe the story they just heard or read.
- Exercise is a benefit of participating in outdoor adventures and games.
Another way to spark creativity is to have an area set up in your house just for your child. Keep it stocked with crayons, markers and other materials so that your child feels welcome to explore and play there any time.
Save items around the house such as an old sheet, a cardboard box or even toilet paper rolls. They can come in handy for a variety of activities.
If you have trouble coming up with creative ways to use things around the house for unique activities, there are many resources on the Internet to help you. A few of these include:
Parents shouldn’t feel they have to buy their children the latest and greatest toy on the market. There also is such a thing as too much television or video games. Children’s Health Education Center recommends a maximum of two hours total per day for children to be on the computer, watching television or playing video games. Televisions and computers also should be in areas where the family gathers and where the child can be monitored, not in the child’s room.
Overall, your family should strike a balance in activities to make sure there are enough creative options. Creativity benefits the emotional health of children, encourages them to think on their own and celebrates their uniqueness – plus, it can be fun for the whole family!
Colleen Schultz is the education manager for Children’s Health Education Center. Learn more at www.BlueKids.org.