The Power of Play

Imaginative play is an important stage of development for young children. While you might think they are just "playing" when Suzy dresses up in mommy's clothes, or when Tommy talks to his stuffed animals, imaginative play allows children to develop very important skills. It is important to use those teachable moments and encourage children to explore their interests during imaginative play. Almost all children enjoy various forms of pretending. My son loves the Town Square at the Children's Museum of Richmond. He especially enjoys the grocery area, and will spend an hour or more in that section alone. At home, I gathered some materials in an effort to re-create that experience. We used an old table from the garage, plastic fruit in a basket from the Dollar Tree, his toy cash register, and some fake money. We also took some dry food boxes out of the recycling bin and used packing tape on the top and bottom to make them sturdy. We moved the materials outside to create the feeling of an open air "Famer's Market," and took turns being the cashier and the customer. It was so much fun! And along the way, my son worked on skills like problem solving, counting, basic addition and subtraction, sorting, sharing, taking turns….need I go on? You get the point. Now put down those flash cards (don’t give me that look, you don’t have to throw them away…just take a break) and spend some time pretending to eat the cake your child just made for you from the sandbox.

If you would like to learn more about how imaginative play is important in the life of young children, check out The Power of Play by Dr. David Elkind