What Is Creative Play?

Remember when you used to play outside all day long, making forts, playing ball, or exploring with friends?  Can you remember your favorite toy? Was it that special friend that was tucked in next to you after a long day of magical adventures? Was it that giant box of blocks that your mother bought at a yard sale? How about your bicycle?

Play, and the toys that make up that play, are very important tools for the healthy development of children.

Creative play can be defined as: Play that involves imagination and creative expression, combined with stimulation to develop manual skills.

Many art and craft projects provide avenues for creative play, but other tools may supply motivation for play in this fashion as well.

Some of our personal favorites:

Legos...

Doll play...

 

Recycled and natural materials...

The best toy choices help children, create,learn and pretend.  If you are trying to decide whether a toy is good for your child or not, ask if it does any, or all of these things.  If it does, it is a good toy for creative play.  If it does any or all of these things and can also ‘grow’ with your child, it is a perfect toy for creative play.