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Creative Play There are a lot of toys out there that run on batteries, are plugged in and turned on. They can be educational or simply for entertainment. Ask yourself this, do they promote creativity? Do they promote spending time together playing and learning? How many toys do your children have that you can sit down and play with them? Why is it important that our children be creative and have interaction(one-on-one and as a family)? Creativity in play promotes independent thinking as the child gets older. This leads to a child being able to develop leadership skills, independence in life, and self confidence. Toys that promote interaction develops children's social skills. What toys are good for promoting creativity and interaction? Outdoor play, board games, felt boards, books, and arts and crafts. Outdoor play is one the most important forms of educational play for a child. First, your child gets the exercise that children these days just don't seem to get enough of. Second, learning about their environment outside puts them ahead in school. Nature hikes, walks around the neighborhood, or gardening with mom in the yard. All these are great educational opportunities for a child. Most of all, they are fun too. My children love to go for hikes. My 5yr old daughter points out plants and little critters we see. She also knows how to follow the trail markers. When given a choice between playing in the house or going for a hike, she always picks hiking. My 9 yr old son also will choose hiking over being in the house. He loves being the leader on our hikes.Our favorite indoor activity is playing board games and playing with felt. We all do both sitting at a table together. They learn to take turns and follow directions with the board games. They learn to be creative and how to interact with each other with the felt sets. My son has autism and has trouble with social skills. He also has trouble sitting and performing a task for more than a couple of minutes. When we all sit together, he will sit there for 15 - 30 minutes at a time. Next time you see your children playing with a gameboy or watching tv for the 2nd or 3rd hour, turn it all off. If it is nice outside, go hiking or just walk around the neighborhood. If the weather is bad, pull out the family board games or some arts and crafts supplies. Within a couple of weeks, you will see a difference in your children and in yourself. Remember, while they are having fun, so are you. Article Source: http://www.articleset.com  About the AuthorMother of two. My oldest is 9 and has autism. He is nonverbal, highly intelligent but low daily living and OT skills. » Read more articles by Tammy Lessick |
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