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!
April 13th, 2010 at 7:03 am
Thank you for this post. I can remember as a child that my favorite place in the world to play was my Grandmother’s basement where she had a huge store of out-dated clothing that my cousins and I would play with for hours upon end as we imagined ourselves in all different scenarios. I made sure that I had a “dress-up” box for my children as well and it was always the most used area of the playroom. That and a playhouse gave my children so much entertainment they almost never played with any of the “fad” toys they always asked for.
Rose