Search Results for: blog the importance of imaginary play for preschoolers

School Enriches Creative Play

The other day, we spent some time talking about two of the world’s smallest animals – the bumblebee bat and the bee hummingbird. We discussed the larger varieties of both species as well, and how a hummingbird can hover unlike other birds, and how a bat has extraordinary sensing powers. We covered the topic pretty thoroughly, and then moved on. I thought the kids might retain some of the information, maybe just in time to appear on an episode of Jeopardy! down the road, but my six-year-old surprised me. He went and found the kitty cat ears he’d been given … Continue reading →

Striking Out on Their Own: Creating a Space for Independent Preschool Play

Do you feel safe letting your children play outdoors? For many parents, the answer is “no.” Many of us grew up playing freely in the country, the suburbs, and even urban areas. Yes, there were dangers, but overall, my parents let me play outside. My mom was a super worrier, yet by the age of eight or nine I was allowed to roam freely within a radius of four or five blocks, riding my bike through the neighborhood, climbing trees, and exploring the fruit trees at the old, burned-out farmhouse a couple of blocks away. I remember biking through the … Continue reading →

The importance of imaginary play for preschoolers

Like most kids her age, my daughter is engrossed in imaginary play. She loves to invent characters and act out scenarios in her dollhouse and her Lego blocks. The current characters have rather creative names like Tuna and Alukia. I’m rather partial to Tuna. We’ve talked about why down time is important for preschoolers. Having some time to relax and reflect is good for all of us. Yes, preschoolers are a busy bunch, and even if you schedule down time, they won’t generally go and sit on the couch. If you give them the option (and turn off the television), … Continue reading →

Scheduling down time

There’s a blank in my schedule. Usually this is on a Saturday or a Tuesday, both days when our family doesn’t usually have things to do. I love that blank space. Although I feel tempted to fill it up at times, I also recognize that my daughter and I both need to have some down time. And in these busy times, it’s good for me to schedule that down time onto my calendar, to have that special day of nothing. As parents of small children, we can feel so pressured to get them ready for the big world ahead. We … Continue reading →