Here are 5 ways to encourage pretend play and nurture your child ’ s development of creativity :
• Provide open-ended toys to inspire creative play . Open-ended means that kids can play with it without instructions and the same toy can be used in several ways . Examples are plain wood blocks , magnetic tiles , building bricks like Lego , realistic toy animals , wood peg dolls , miniature vehicles , cardboard boxes and an easel with art supplies .
• Have a crate of costumes for dress-up play . Role-playing is a wonderful way to develop creativity , so get in on the fun by dressing up with your child . Waiter and customer , doctor and patient , prince and princess , zookeeper and animal , there are countless ways to dress up and pretend !
• Present a problem for your child to solve . If your child regularly plays zookeeper , for example , then have an animal go missing or if he ’ s a pirate sailing on the open sea , throw in a storm . By adding these new elements that your child may not have thought of on their own , you ’ re enhancing their creative thinking skills as they figure out how to find the lost zebra or sail safely through the storm .
• Use books to enhance pretend play . It ’ s fun to act out “ Going on a Bear Hunt ” or “ The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog .” It ’ s a great way to bring a character to life and to get your child thinking more deeply about the story and characters .
• Join in with your child when possible . Yes , children will happily engage in pretend play on their own , but when you play with your child , you ’ re not only connecting deeply and building your bond , but you ’ re able to add in your own perspectives and creative ideas to the mix making it that much more fun and developmentally beneficial ! •
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