Ways To Encourage Your Child’s Imagination
Author: Inger Fountain
No matter where they live, kids are full of imagination. They often have the ability to occupy themselves with sticks and stones for hours at a time.
You can see them instantly transform from your average six year old into a roaring pirate captain with nothing more than a brightly coloured bandana and a roughly hewn wooden sword.
To inspire your kids to access their imagination you don't need much. In fact the less all singing and dancing electronic gizmos you have, the further their imagination will soar. Video games and TV can tend to move children through a linear decision making process rather than igniting their own ability to question and improvise.
Some great imagination equipment can be found around the house, from empty milk bottles, toilet rolls, scraps of material and grandma's old clothes to pens, paints and bits of cardboard.
If you want to add an element of structure you can set up a sheet across the room or between the doorjamb. Kids can make their own costumes or puppets and act out plays that they have made up or that they can remember from other stories.
When you read to your children, allow them to become part of the storytelling process. Ask them about their impressions of the story of the characters and see what they think will happen given the flow of the story so far.
Ask also if they can remember a time in their lives when they felt the same way the character does. Perhaps if the story has no illustrations ask them to draw what they think the characters and scenery look like.
Think of every opportunity as a moment to involve your child. Give them an empty cereal box and see what they come up with, a robot, a house? Invite them to be part of your daily problem solving moments?
Is your car parked into a tight spot? See how many turns they think you need to get out, which way should you turn? Don't make it a competition where someone guesses the "right" answer and therefore someone else has to be "wrong", just involve them in the process.
Kids who can think creatively will have the start of a great skill set for their future lives.
About the Author:
Inger loves to write and has been writing words on paper for quite some time. When the Internet came along she started writing online too. You can see her latest website which helps parents to chose the best puppets for kids at http://www.puppetsforkids.org Learn To Write: Writing Logical Children's Stories! Otoplasty: Know Why Childhood Is The Best Time For The Procedure Plus Size Clothing Tips For Children Plus Size Fashion For Teens - Very Much Alive And Kicking Personalized Baby Boy Gift: What To Contribute To Your New Nephew Using Home School Resources To Educate Your Kids Family Receives $4.4 Million For Death Of Baby When Nurse Trainee Misses Signs Of Fetal Distress Baby Gifts for Baby's First Birthday How To Find Assistance In Coming Up With Unique Baby Shower Gift Ideas Wii Games List For Kids Nintendo Wii Games For Young Kids Best Nintendo Wii Games For Young Children Recommended Wii Games For Young Children