CreativePlay Plus: Ideas in Play and Child Development

I recently came across a great blog post about the value of creative play featuring an interview with Susan Linn, Director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.  Linn is also the author of The Case for Make Believe: Saving Play in a Commercialized World, which focuses on the notable shift in the way our children play in today’s world.  This book explores how we’ve gone from encouraging imaginative play and engagement in make believe to giving games, toys, and DVDs that lead children into defined role learning and stifling their growth and development.

This post begins with a description of a simple technique Linn used at a workshop dedicated to creative play.  Linn presented several puppets and asked each attendee to describe specific attributes about each character.  The first puppet introduced was an ordinary sock puppet and the final character introduced was Cookie Monster, a beloved character from Sesame Street. The variety of the responses received for the ordinary sock puppet and the limited responses received for Cookie Monster easily proved Linn’s point; we need to give kids open-ended opportunities to play, rather than force certain associations onto them.

In this interview, Linn responds to basic questions that many parents may have asked about before but not received the answers. Questions like, why is television really so “bad” for kids?  How could a few minutes here and there actually negatively affect their development?  She also gives her opinion on the “Mozart Effect,” the theory that classical music can enhance children’s intelligence, and why she believes it is essentially false.  She does however recognize that music is an important part of childhood development.

Linn’s answers are easy to understand, based on research and her own field experiences, and she exhibits true empathy towards parents. The information presented in this post is a valuable reference for parents and caregivers who believe in the power of creative play.

It seems like every time the New Year rolls around, we make resolutions to ourselves.  Lose weight. Stick to a budget.  Get organized.  So often, it seems as if those resolutions just end up falling by the wayside!  Maybe it’s time to make some resolutions that are easier to stick to, more specific, and more realistic so that we may actually accomplish them.  Instead of worrying about that extra 10 pounds, why not resolve to make 2010 the year creative play becomes an important part of life in your home?

Start by taking a look at the toys in your household – are there things the kids have outgrown?  Give them to charity!  Most likely, those toys won’t even be missed.

Next, cast a critical eye at the quality of the toys – can kids learn from and be inspired by them, or are they the types of toys which lead children into specific forms of directed play?  If you’re seeing a lot of things that wouldn’t lend a creative spark to play, put them away!  You don’t have to get rid of them, but take this opportunity to make these toys a “last resort” for an especially snowy or rainy day.

Finally, note what you have around the house that could be used for creative play, and if you haven’t already, start a “prop box” for kids to go to when you hear the words all caregivers dread the most – “I’m bored!”  The box can contain almost anything, from last year’s Halloween costumes, to towels, to stuffed animals, and even your old clothes.  Kids have the creative capacity to be inspired by almost anything, and chances are, your house is a treasure trove of potentially exciting and stimulating props that will allow them to imagine, create, and explore well into the next year, and beyond!

School age kids are all about getting things done. The famous psychologist, Erik Erikson, wrote (famously) that the core of development at this age is the crisis of “industry versus inferiority.”  In other words, children need to feel capable and competent. They need to make things, know things, and master skills. You can plug into this powerful drive when picking out the perfect presents for the kids on your list.

Projects: Children love to have special projects they can create on their own.  For younger children, look for kits that come with instructions. Older and more experienced creators need higher quality materials, and the freedom to follow their creative urges.

• Think about supplies for painting, drawing, candle-making, woodworking, macramé, knitting, assembling electronics, flower arranging, photography, and similar ventures.

Tools for science: Children with a natural curiosity about the world may enjoy a gift that helps them explore and learn about science. For that matter, it’s hard to imagine a child who wouldn’t be curious about nature, given a proper invitation. By invitation, I mean an adult who gets excited about natural things, and gives a child an opportunity to take an interest and learn about the natural world.

• Consider if your child may like a microscope and slides, a telescope, a star map, a gyroscope, binoculars for birding, a starter rock collection, a pick for digging up fossils (or just interesting junk), or a butterfly net.

Lessons: You might have bitter memories of lessons that were forced upon you. But if a child shows urges in an artistic direction, lesions can be joyful and meaningful.

• A child whose feet move with the beat might love dance lessons.

• A child who is always humming tunes may blossom with singing lessons or with a musical instrument.

• The key –and where you have to be a little lucky – is matching the child’s interest with a great teacher.
  • A great teacher doesn’t have to be the best dancer or singer or actor, but he or she does need to have a love for the subject, and a love for children and for helping them grow.

Sports and Athletics: Many children express their drive for growth and accomplishment through sports and athletics. If they’re already into a particular sport, it’s no trick to find new, better equipment for them. If they are not sporty, they might still enjoy an introduction to a new non-competitive activity.

• For the last few months I’ve been giving out 3-lb weights to patients of mine who need an extra nudge to get moving. I tell them they’re for “TV exercises” –a pleasant way to keep moving, build muscles, while mentally vegging out. The kids always seem excited.

You’ll notice that I’m not advocating out and out asking children what they want, but instead making educated guesses based on what you know about their interests and leanings.

If you do ask, most of the boys (and many of the girls) will say that they want the newest video game console or handheld player. I know this, because I’ve asked. And sure, video games aren’t entirely passive, and they do teach children things (some good things and some bad), and they do feed a child’s hunger for competence. But most relate only to a virtual world, drawing a child away from the real one. Things in everyday life become dull and boring, because they can’t compete with the non-stop action (complete with catchy theme music) in the virtual reality. Anyhow, there’s a good chance that some less original Santa will tie a boy around an electronic whiz-box. Let them. You can do better, developmentally speaking.

Around 18-months of age babies start adding words much more quickly — sometimes several in one day. At the same time, they start showing a lot more imagination when they play. They feed their dolls and tuck them into bed. They also become magicians who can transform a wooden block into a car, airplane, telephone, sandwich, or a cup of tea all by pretending!  Symbolic thinking is the great achievement of the toddler years—even more remarkable than walking. Make believe play and language have a strong connection because they both rely on symbols—things that stand for other things.

• Great gifts to help develop language skills and imaginative play abilities: picture books, dolls (for boys as well as girls), plastic animals (make sure these are too big to fit inside a toilet paper  roll, to prevent choking), and best of all simple building blocks that a child’s imagination can turn into anything and everything!

Intentionally not on my list of best toys: electronic talking toys. Why? Because these gizmos are designed to do the work of imagining for the child. Often sold as educational toys, what they really teach children is to expect to be entertained. Young children learn best when they are actively involved in solving problems and creating things. If I could wave my Developmental Santa magic wand and make these developmentally inappropriate toys disappear, I would!

From one to two years of age, children are changing along every dimension. Each developmental change can inspire a “best gift.”  More and more, toddlers are individuals with their own particular joys and wants.

Temperament plays a big role

• Some toddlers love movement and they need toys they can push around, for example, shopping carts, vacuum cleaners, and ride-on-trucks. Other toddlers are content to sit and smell the flowers, like my own favorite children’s book character, Ferdinand the Bull. (If you don’t know Ferdinand, look for The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf.  It’s a treasure).  Little “Ferdinands” need interesting things to play with while sitting in one place.

Strength, Coordination, and Balance

• Push toys, rolling toys, soft balls to kick and throw, a pair of canvas sneakers (Toddlers are always outgrowing their shoes, so don’t waste money on “orthopedic” leather shoes when canvas ones work just as well)

Hand-Eye Coordination

• Peg boards with a toy for hammering or simple puzzles are my top picks. Also, hard to break crayons or non-toxic markers. Toddlers are amazed to find out that when they move one of these objects across a sheet of paper, lines “magically” appear.  Of course, the same amazing effect works on cabinets, tables, and walls so adult supervision is a must!

As the holiday season draws to a close, the final celebration on the calendar before New Year’s is Kwanzaa.  Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday; instead, it was established in 1966 to celebrate the African-American heritage and to reinforce positive values within the community.  It is celebrated over the course of seven days, beginning on December 26th, and ending on January 1st.  December 31st is the major feast day, when a festive meal is prepared for family and friends.

There are plenty of ways to help kids learn about Kwanzaa.  One way for them to gain a better understanding of the holiday is to have them make a traditional candle holder, known as a kinara, which holds a candle for each of the seven days of Kwanzaa.  Each station on the kinara can then be labeled with one of the seven principles of the holiday, and a candle lit on each day, leading up to January 1st (with an adult’s supervision, of course!).

Next, get children excited to learn about Kwanzaa by having them help out in the kitchen while preparing several traditional Kwanzaa recipes.  This is the perfect way to have your own mini-feast! Dishes such as Salmon Croquettes and Sweet Potato Pecan Bars are fun foods that kids can enjoy helping you make, and enjoy eating even more.

Finally, help kids learn about Kwanzaa and internalize the seven principles through a variety of activities which engage them in the learning process.  Simple printable Kwanzaa coloring pages detailing the lessons of the holiday are one way to do just that.  Or, try helping them make a Kwanzaa handprint wreath – an enduring way to preserve memories of the holiday and see how kids have grown throughout the years.

No matter how you choose to learn about Kwanzaa, with so many fun things to do, it’s sure to be an exciting and educational time for everyone!

The holiday season is in full swing, and for many people, this means Christmas shopping for children is at the top of their list. If you have kids on your list this year, there are plenty of ways to make sure they aren’t just overwhelmed by store-bought Christmas gifts, but instead get a chance to receive some great toys for creative play which can be used all year long!

One way to avoid the pressures of the retail world at Christmas is to make your own Christmas gifts for the children on your list. For toddlers, homemade play dough is a sure hit. You can create endless options using food coloring, and storage is simple with the use of disposable storage containers. Just be sure you use the kind with tight lids to keep the dough from drying out too quickly.

Homemade blocks are another great idea for toddlers. Using such simple things as empty milk cartons and paper bags, you can quickly and easily make a full set of alphabet or number blocks — Christmas gifts little ones will be entertained by for hours.

For slightly older children, Christmas gifts like playsilks are a versatile and fun alternative to traditional dress-up costumes. Purchased in basic white, these inexpensive playsilks can be dyed with Kool-Aid (yes, Kool-Aid!) and used in a variety of ways to create endless costume combinations.

Finally, if you spend any amount of time around kids, chances are you’ve built up a supply of crayons, many of which have been worn down to almost nothing. But that doesn’t mean these hard-to-handle nubs can’t be repurposed! In fact, you can use them to make colorful, chunky crayons which are easy to hold, and fun Christmas gifts for children of almost any age.

The holiday season is made up of several major holidays, of which Hanukkah is first. If you follow the Jewish faith, this is a great time to commemorate the holiday with children through creative play, while allowing them to take part in important family and religious traditions.  Even if you don’t traditionally celebrate Hanukkah, but are interested in exposing kids to religious diversity, there are plenty of ways to do that, too.

One way to get kids involved in celebrating and understanding Hanukkah is by grabbing your prop box and encouraging them to act out the Hanukkah story.

For the less theatrical group, crafting may be more your thing.  There are a variety of different ways to use creative crafts to celebrate Hanukkah.  Anything from the traditional menorah to a fun dreidel can be crafted easily and inexpensively out of things you have on hand or even in your own backyard!

Another fun (and yummy!) way to celebrate Hanukkah is by making specific traditional foods.  Delicious Hanukkah recipes for dishes such as potato latkes, kugel, and apple fritters are widely available, and often simple to make.  Just be sure that an adult is on hand to help supervise the cooking!  If you sit down for a special meal of Hanukkah favorites, you may want to include a special holiday blessing.

Lastly, there are many games and activities which can make what is often known as the “Festival of Lights” into an educational but fun time for the whole family.  From coloring pages, to puzzles, to the traditional dreidel game, there are many ways to celebrate Hanukkah, while honoring the ancient traditions of the holiday.