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When children play creatively, we allow our minds to wander, create with our hands, and express ourselves uninhibitedly without the need to conform or achieve a certain level of excellence. For grown-ups, this may be anything from writing, dancing, drawing, or even just scribbling in the margins of a notepad. The freedom to try new things without worrying about whether they will turn out "right" is a wonderful approach to allowing your imagination to run wild.
Benefits of creative play for kids
One wonderful thing about creative play is that it's tailored to each individual. While some people enjoy experimenting with paints, most others may find more joy strumming a guitar or creating a culinary masterpiece. There’s no right or wrong way to play, and that flexibility is what makes it so refreshing.
Children engage in pretend play when they make up tales or situations using their toys and other objects. A youngster may act out role-playing scenarios in which they are a parent, fireman, doctor, or nurse. There are different ways or forms of child development through play, namely:
- Creative expression: Art provides children with a wonderful outlet for their imaginations. So, students may create collages, drawings, sculptures, paintings, and more.
- Songs: Composing music is a wonderful way to encourage imagination and originality. To make noise, children can use their voices, common household items, or even simple instruments.
- Dance: Kids may express themselves via movement. Dancing is one kind of free movement; other forms include jogging, leaping, and spinning.
Research often suggests that creativity involves a dynamic interaction between the brain's default mode network, activated during daydreaming or mind-wandering, and the cognitive control network, responsible for planning and problem-solving. Actually, when scientists and creative writers aren't concentrating on a single job, they come up with around 20% of their most significant ideas. Because it allows the mind to wander freely, which is seldom possible during a normal cubicle-bound job, spending time in nature or even just staring out of a window can increase creativity.
Why imaginative play is important in education
- Raises interest and drive: Play makes learning interesting and participatory, lowering resistance to studying and increasing drive and students can better engage with historical concepts when they role-play historical events, for instance.
- Promotes analysis and problem-solving skills: The ability to think creatively, solve issues, and make sound judgements are all skills that children develop via play, for example, an activity that promotes engineering thinking and cooperation is constructing a working bridge out of popsicle sticks.
- Facilitates deeper understanding: Concrete ideas are better retained via practical and actual learning. For instance, kids can better understand and work with fractions when they use LEGO bricks as a teaching tool.
Creative play ideas for summer- age wise
- Young children (ages 1-3): Babies and toddlers are always on the go. For example, kids may begin to "pretend play" with basic objects or engage in energetic activities that include dancing. Toddlers also enjoy discovering art via creative activities, such as finger painting and playdough.
- Young children (ages 3-5): The world surrounding preschoolers is starting to make more sense to them. Complex role-playing, such as assuming the role of a doctor or a chef, may be more common among children of this age. Art and music are also great ways for children to express themselves.
- Children of School Age (6-12 years old): Kids of this age are starting to think on a higher level of abstraction. So, kids might experiment with increasingly elaborate forms of make-believe play, such as building whole planets with their pals. Additionally, at this age, they may begin to express themselves creatively through the creation of films or stories.
How to encourage creativity in children
- Spend time in nature: There’s nothing like time spent outdoors to promote creative activities. When children play outside, they are free to go about, imagine, and discover everything. They can also experiment with making art using found objects or construct a shelter from found materials like leaves and sticks. You should encourage your youngster to play in a variety of settings, such as the sandbox or the backyard dirt. In addition to being a terrific method to get kids moving and expend some energy, this is also wonderful for their creative development.
- Allocate sufficient downtime: There might be little room for free-form imaginative play if your youngster spends each day participating in adult-led activities. Instead, give them lots of unstructured playtime and exploration time to burn off some energy.
- Let the boredom sink in: Being bored sometimes has its benefits! Your child's imagination will flourish in moments of boredom. No need to keep your toddler occupied all day long. Just let them be bored every once in a while and watch what they do.
- Emphasise engaging activities: For maximum imaginative play, use open-ended toys. Toys like blocks, puppets, and painting materials are great for kids. Stay away from toys that have just one use or result. Another advantage of open-ended toys is that they inspire creativity: Your little one will find plenty of usage for them because they won't grow out of them as fast.