An active imagination is crucial for children because it supports the development of their problem-solving skills, as well as their creativity and their social and emotional skills. It can even help them with their self-esteem. With that said, I have teamed up with a private nursery in Herefordshire to share some advice on how your can help your child with their imagination.
Encourage Reading
Reading is one of the best ways to boost your child’s imagination, while also being a source of entertainment and relaxation. The words on a page describe a certain situation, like what a character looks like or where they are located, and the reader must visualise this image in their mind. Sometimes the author describes things that are completely made up, which is really great for stimulating a child’s imagination. What’s more, reading helps children with their spelling and grammar and improves their attention span.
Promote Unstructured Play
Children tend to bug their parents when they are bored, but sometimes it’s a good idea to leave them to it and give them time for unstructured play. This will force them to use their imagination to come up with something to do. Make sure they have plenty of props and costumes so that they can role play and get creative.
Limit Screen Time
Too much time on a digital device doesn’t leave much space for creative and imaginative activities. With this in mind, it would be wise to try and limit your child’s screen time where possible and encourage them to play outdoors or do something arty.
Not only will this provide your child with opportunities to engage their imagination, but it will also allow them to develop various skills that cannot be learnt through endless scrolling on social media or hours of video games. There is so much that children can discover in the world that they cannot find on a digital device.
*This is a collaborative post.
