Why does babyeats value play so highly, and why is it so important for young children?
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How does imagination work?
Have you ever watched your kids in your living room pretend that the sofa is a pirate ship, little brother is a shark and he is taking a snap at big sis! Or, just as plausible, the bottom few stairs in the hall can easily transform into the seats on a magical bus traveling through an imaginary town! Children of pre-school age show an increasing appetite for social games of pretend-playing; often the whole family is given individual roles to act-out for their child's pleasure!
Why should we encourage imaginative play?
By aiding in the stimulation of a child's imagination, you create a number of benefits that will last forever.
Here are some of those benefits:
Play-acting classic fairy tales or modern fantasy stories can enable your child to feel confident, powerful and brave when they experience something new or strange in the real world. For example in games of 'Let's pretend', a child can be anyone or anything they choose to be. Through building on what they've learned in this process, and by practicing these leadership skills, they are able to transform situations into what they want. This gives the child a sense that they can be powerful and in control even in unfamiliar or scary situations.
Through playing an abundance of imaginary games and both reading and listening to scores of fantasy tales, you are not only fueling their imaginations, but these children will also tend to have a significantly increased vocabulary.
Getting along socially can be challenging at any age, but it can be made easier for a child (lasting through adulthood) if they are exposed frequently to social interaction with their peers, starting at a young age. When children meet across a play table, a child will often initiate exploring a new fantasy play together. When this occurs they learn about complex, real world rules about communicating, sharing and social interaction by working through any issues that may arise.
Always remember that from an early age, frequent exposure to, and interaction with, other children will increase your child's social skills.
Encourage and enroll your child in as many classes and activities as possible, the benefits are greater than you may imagine! Better still, join the Babyeats family and become a member so you can visit us more frequently!
When children are creative in their imaginary world it helps them think creatively in the real world. Many studies have concluded that children who are imaginative in their early years transport those creative skills with them right into adulthood and hence become better communicators, problem solvers and more resourceful people