All of us have an innate desire to be creative. Children learn through play, discovery and exploration. They want to naturally extend learning activities, manipulate and create. But through time, discouragement, lack of opportunity and too much screen time, we lose our drive to be creative and lack the confidence and focus. How often do you think, or hear someone say, "Kids can't think for themselves anymore." Let's provide amble opportunities for children to think, explore, extend and create. Here's why and how:
BENEFITS OF CREATIVE PLAY
- Ability to problem solve
- Better able to cope with challenges and difficult situations
- Higher self-esteem, confidence, self-fulfillment and happiness
- Fosters great creators: writers, artists, scientists, innovators, leaders, ie. the keys to a successful society
1. READING, WRITING, LIBRARIES, STORYTELLING
"Creativity is manifested in so many ways – crafts are the functional manifestation and paintings are the visual. Stories are our creativity represented in words. Telling stories takes us out of our real life experiences to imagine something that could be. They allow children to think beyond the concrete. So we tell a lot of stories and start with good books." Kim Rowe, Little Stories
"Creativity is manifested in so many ways – crafts are the functional manifestation and paintings are the visual. Stories are our creativity represented in words. Telling stories takes us out of our real life experiences to imagine something that could be. They allow children to think beyond the concrete. So we tell a lot of stories and start with good books." Kim Rowe, Little Stories
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| Top 10 Ways to Use Montessori Principles for Summer Learning |
- Children’s Books to Encourage Confidence and Creativity
- Books for Screen Free Week
- Top 10 Ways to Talk to Kids about Books
- Top 10 Ways to Keep Children Reading and Writing this Summer
- Top 10 Ways to Do Activities with Books
- Quiet Books: A Guide to Making One of Your Own
- 5 Ways to Master Creative Storytelling + Play
- Our Favorite Children’s Books for Summer
- 25 Books with Crafts to Make
- Using the Library!
- Summer Reading Library Challenge
2. PRETEND IMAGINATIVE FANTASY DRAMATIC PLAY
Children are learning important social, cognitive and emotional skills during Imaginary, Pretend or Fantasy Play. This open-ended play promotes social skills, develops language and cognitive skills, increases intellect, supports emotional development and builds self confidence, allowing for exploration of a child's feelings as they gain a sense of control. Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, believed that dramatic play was the training ground where children learned to regulate themselves and to conquer their own unruly minds. When children follow the rules of make-believe and push one another to follow those rules, they develop important habits of self-control. In other words: Children can learn SELF-CONTROL and to THINK while participating in pretend play! It's a win-win!
Children are learning important social, cognitive and emotional skills during Imaginary, Pretend or Fantasy Play. This open-ended play promotes social skills, develops language and cognitive skills, increases intellect, supports emotional development and builds self confidence, allowing for exploration of a child's feelings as they gain a sense of control. Lev Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist, believed that dramatic play was the training ground where children learned to regulate themselves and to conquer their own unruly minds. When children follow the rules of make-believe and push one another to follow those rules, they develop important habits of self-control. In other words: Children can learn SELF-CONTROL and to THINK while participating in pretend play! It's a win-win!
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| The Imagination Tree |
- Mix and Match Monsters
- Puzzle Train Ticket Mix Up
- Easy No-Sew Pretend Mail and Mailbox
- Cat in the Hat Day
- Playdough Frozen Yogurt Shop
- Cooking Station
- Bug Buddies (Pouch Cap Finger Puppets)
- Postman Games for Kids
- DIY Wooly Monsters
- Vet’s Office
- It’s Playtime: Fairies
”I just can’t say it enough – having fewer toys leads to better play. When children are not distracted by all of the toy chaos, they can focus on deeper play experiences and begin to really tap into their own creativity and imagination... Besides having fewer toys, having good toys makes all of the difference. Good toys don’t do much on their own. They don’t have push buttons or a digitized voice. Instead, they require your child to do all of the steering, soaring, sautéing, stacking, and singing. Good toys can be played with a million different ways which allows for endless creative options." Kim Rowe, Little Stories
- 26+ Tin Can Activities, Music & Crafts for Kids
- Build a Lego Car that Rolls the Farthest
- Dryer Sheet Box Engine Shed
- Recycled Train Platform: DIY Project for Wooden Train Layouts
- Upcycled Realtor Sign turned Magnet Board
- Creative Toys
- Nuturing Creativity
- Recycle! Upcycle! Kids' Activities & Art on Pinterest
Young children are eager learners. But due to their limited language, they learn more from hands-on experiences rather than from verbal instruction. They learn by moving, touching, exploring, discovering — using their five senses and movement as they learn about their expanding world. The process of making an art product can be of great interest to a young child. Children enjoy touching different textures and exploring materials as well as putting together and taking apart objects to create something unique - or just for the joy of exploring and changing something.
5. QUIET TIME
Don't you love to "hear" quietness? Then the mind can soar to anywhere the imagination will take it.
Don't you love to "hear" quietness? Then the mind can soar to anywhere the imagination will take it.
6. JUST UNPLUG!
Just do it! Unplug and communicate, play, and create with the most important people in your life - your little ones - whose imaginations are limitless and fascinating.
Play Spaces can be indoors or outdoors - a place where a child feels comfortable to relax, rest, and read - or to move, discover, explore and create.
8. NATURE 
"Direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development—physical, emotional, and spiritual. What's more, nature is a potent therapy for depression, obesity, and ADD. Environment-based education dramatically improves standardized test scores and grade point averages and develops skills in problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making. Even creativity is stimulated by childhood experiences in nature." Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv.
9. SCIENCE
Why do kids love science? It makes learning come alive! It's all about discovery that makes science so appealing. It is important to focus activities for young children on things they can see, hear, touch, taste, smell and manipulate. Children are naturally curious and love to explore using their imagination to make substances change form, color, shape, scent and texture. With science and sensory activities, children learn by finding answers to their many questions including: Why, how, when, where and what happens?
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| Mommy with Selective Memory |
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| Fun A Day |
- Spooktacular Smorgasbord of Simple Science & Sensory Ideas
- Planting Seeds of Science: Gardening with Kids
- Top 10 Water Experiments for Kids
- Bubble Science
- Science Invitations
- 5 Easy Science Experiments for Kids
- Preschool Gardening Unit – Exploring Beans
- Shaving Cream Fun
- Little Wizards at Work: Mixing Potions
- Summer Play Recipes
- Gummy Bear Science Experiment
- Helicopter Seeds
- Learn through Movement: Science Balloon Experiments
- Exploding Art
- Science Activities for Kids - Steve Spangler on Pinterest
Not only are children having fun while learning music, but songs and simple musical instruments build a child's memory, vocabulary, listening comprehension, resourcefulness, cooperation, patterning (reading and math) and creativity.
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| Image from Lasso the Moon |
- What would happen if?
- Is there a better way?
- What do you think?
Would you like a glimpse into Kindergarten? See Kindergarten: Tattle-Tales, Tools, Tactics, Triumphs and Tasty Treats for Teachers and Parents. Moms of Preschoolers - let a mom and a teacher help save your sanity, one project at a time, including the child development explanations and age appropriate activities in The Happy Mommy Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide on Keeping Your Toddlers and Preschoolers Busy, Out of Trouble and Motivated to Learn. Both are bestsellers and also available on Barnes & Noble and Kobo. The ebooks are only $3.99.
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What a lovely post! So many brilliant ideas for encouraging creativity.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Rebecca!
DeleteGreat post! So much information! :-)
ReplyDeleteSusan...what an awesome post! Thanks for sharing all of these wonderful ideas for keeping kids engaged and entertained during the summer.
ReplyDeleteI'm back from Singapore...it was INCREDIBLE! The trip itself was a piece of cake...all 24+ hours each way.:) The people were so welcoming...they didn't want me to leave. :) And the SCBWI sessions and gala AFCC events were so much fun. Hope they ask me back. :)
I'm glad you had such a wonderful experience in Singapore. I'm sure you taught others so much. Yeah for creativity!
DeleteWhat a great list! Thanks for including us. Pinning :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are so welcome. Thanks for letting me.
DeleteWhat wonderful ideas to fill the entire summer!!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Love your blog and creative ideas.
DeleteAwesome post, Susan! What a great collection of activities! Thanks so much for including my posts from Living Montessori Now. I pinned your post to my Summer Fun Board at http://pinterest.com/debchitwood/summer-fun/
ReplyDeleteThank you Deb! You have such an amazing blog.
DeleteI do agree on all of the activities that you have shared. These kind of things are one of the most important thing to be applied by the kids especially when they are in the stage of learning and appreciating things.
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Thank you for visiting and commenting.
DeleteWhat a fantastic post. Being a mother of 3 child and a kindergarten teacher for several years I really do know the the importance of creative outdoor activities for kids.. Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you agree. I do worry about children being given enough opportunities to free play and be creative.
DeleteMy son's teachers were always available to discuss his progress or any issues going on. As a full time working parent it was important for me to know that my child was safe and well taken care of. The teachers and staff were very nurturing.
ReplyDeleteRudolf Steiner was a visionary. His philosophy on child education is best and epochal. Australia is coming up with Steiner Schools. It is good and we must make people aware of Steiner education.
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Thanks for sharing this blog. Great information. Little Pearls, Play school in Vasant Vihar is having a wonderful environment for our kids. We provide a variety of playing activities for our little kids.
ReplyDeleteWow there are fantastic ways to make the toddlers more creative and problem solving.
ReplyDelete