How to spark children’s imagination on the playground
Nurturing a child’s curiosity from a young age is very important in order to boost creativity and intelligence. It plays a big part in developing a great imagination. In the technological age we live in, it can be tricky to think of new and creative ways to keep our children’s eyes away from phone and tablets. Awakening their curiosity for the world outside is one of the best ways to do it.
Imagination on the playground
Playgrounds can be home to plenty of facilities from colourful markings and games, to climbing structures and sensory play equipment. Though it’s still important to spark a child’s imagination on the playground to be sure they can have fun with what’s available to them. Plus, learning to think outside the box is a great skill to have. Bright Horizons agree that imagination is the key to success, so using every opportunity to encourage it in children’s minds can help them solve problems easier in the future. And is there a better opportunity for that than the playground?
How to encourage imagination
Children must always be inspired to use their imagination and praised when successfully doing so. They might want to explore a lot of different activities such as acting, dancing, drawing or singing. So why not turn the playground into a theatre, turn a slide into a castle, or make a volcano in the sandbox? Using a pinch of imagination, children can create their own characters and roles, and have fun acting them out on the playground.
Make room for creativity
There are a lot of outdoor activities you can explore and have fun with! Why not get closer to nature and see if you can count all of the different bird or insect species you can see in your playground? Activities like this can spark an interest in certain subjects such as Science and Geography. Not only will children benefit from having fun outdoors, but they will also be learning and developing their creativity at the same time.
Use every item to your advantage and even if you don’t have any – explore and create. Play with your children or encourage them to play with their friends and just watch their imagination do the job.
Who knows? Parents and teachers may also learn a thing or two while watching their children play and find creative solutions to their own challenges.
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