It can be difficult for any adult to remember the joy, simplicity, and wonder of being a young child. After all, in the early years, everything is new and exciting. All it takes to be the king of the world or universe is a cardboard crown and plenty of imagination. That is something children generally excel at. However, what you may not realize is that this type of imaginative play is actually very important during the years of early childhood development.
The beauty of this tender age is that the children are capable of using their imagination to create amazing scenarios. But, they are not old enough or wise enough to question whether the scenario could actually happen.
A reputable center, such as this Croydon early learning center will encourage imaginative play. But, you can also encourage it, here’s how:
Join In
When your young child is howling like a wolf and running with the pack through green grass, join in. Howl too and ask them what else they see. By joining in you are making it even more fun and that encourages your child to do it again.
Read Together
Reading is a great way to get lost in a strange world, one that could only exist in your imagination. By reading together and encouraging your child to think, and talk, about the story you are encouraging your child to let their imagination run wild. That’s a good thing.
Another benefit is that your child can then bring those stories to life thus doing even more of what we encourage in the article to help with their early childhood learning experience overall.
Skip The Electronics
Electronics have a place in early development as children need to find their way in an increasingly digital world. However, it is good to limit these devices and encourage your children to play with their toys, creating scenarios for play helps to boost their imaginative capabilities.
How Imaginative Play Benefits Children
Encouraging imaginative play will help your child develop and helps them in the future:
- Thinking Outside the Box
Children that use their imagination are more likely to think of unique solutions to issues. This can be helpful in the adult world as they will be accustomed to thinking outside the box.
- Social Interaction
When children engage in imaginative play they often have to explain the details to others. This is essential when children are playing games together. This helps your child learn social skills and can even start to build confidence in public speaking. That’s a skill that everyone could benefit from despite their age. And what better than getting the kids started at a young age to instill that confidence.
- Physical Development
As your child engages in imaginative play it will naturally spill into the physical world. This means things like grabbing a cuddly toy to act as a noble steed. The act of finding and picking up the toy encourages dexterity and hand-to-eye coordination in your child.
- Language Skills
Imaginative play encourages your child to broaden their language skills. This is done naturally and the array of language used can be rapidly enhanced if parents and other carers get involved.
Your child will quickly build confidence in their abilities and this can open a lot of doors in the future. We hope that the tips in this article help you and your child. They are simple, fun, and have a lot of positive benefits!
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