Children

Playing with children: how to stimulate their creativity

For a child, the most important activity is play. Playing allows the child to  have control of the situation and make decisions independently. Playing with children is also very important, let’s see why.

The game is the work of childhood, which allows the child to experience the “physical” world around him, and the “emotional” world that is inside him, helping him to know the context in which he  lives . Through play the child learns to discover, to test his theories, to relate, to explore causes and effects, to respect the rules of society and family values . The child discovers the world every day and only through play will he be able to discover it and be part of it.

Playing with children helps them grow

The child often chooses to play something he knows how to do well, in which he is successful and for this reason his self-esteem is strengthened. On the contrary, he will hardly independently choose a game in which he is not really capable. It is essential that the child learns to accept defeats, to face sorrows through playing with others.

Playing with others helps to  create relationships and by playing with inanimate objects such as puppets or dolls, bricks or toy cars, the child develops his/her ability to interact. Subsequently playing with his peers, he will exploit these bases to learn to share, to give turns, to comply and to develop empathy for others.

It is very  important for parents to learn to play with their children,  because it is an  emotional  but also cognitive exchange. Through play you get to know your children. Playing is a leisure activity and can include reading stories, walking in the park, all activities that children should enjoy.

Personally I do not recommend making all games educational by insisting on didactic rules. If the child already knows the rules of the game, there’s nothing wrong with turning them upside down from time to time. The important thing is to know how to explain that when you play, turning the rules upside down, you have to say it before starting. We need to learn to listen, observe and follow the children, stepping out from time to time from a rigid adult vision.

Playing with children to develop imagination

Playing together with children should be a shared pleasure. If the adults are tired or stressed about work, it’s best to postpone. Similarly, if the children don’t feel like it, postpone the game as it would be counterproductive for everyone.

There are no games that cannot be played, obviously excluding those that put the child’s safety at risk. Wrestling can also be done, usually dad and son really like it, but if it’s contextualized they don’t create any problems.

Playing helps stimulate creativity and imagination , teaching the child to broaden his horizons and experiment with new potential.

It is important to consider the stages of the child’s development and choose the most appropriate games:

  • children from 0 to 3 years prefer sensory-motor games (manipulation, movement, decanting, etc.)
  • from 4 to 5 years they prefer symbolic play where everyday objects are used and roles are played,
  • 6 to 8 year olds prefer a more structured game where there are more defined rules, while
  • children aged 8 and over, having already learned all the ways to play, prefer those that respond best to their character.

Rules for playing with children

To play with your children in a fun way that allows you to create a good bond between parents and children, here are some small rules:

  • create an environment conducive  to play: toys, time, space and freedom;
  • let the children choose how to play with us, without interfering, unless there is danger;
  • don’t play with the children just because you have to do it , quality not quantity counts , better 15 minutes before dinner but with the desire to be together rather than an hour without desire, hoping to finish quickly;
  • valuing the game chosen by the child even if it doesn’t seem to make sense to us;
  • encourage the child for the commitment not so much for the result obtained;
  • be very patient , giving the child time to get to the end, without breathing down his neck;
  • avoid insisting on teaching how to use a toy if the child is enjoying using it in another way;
  • we learn from them to use the imagination and occasionally step outside the box;
  • while playing it is necessary to turn off the television , to favor concentration, you can choose suitable music for the moment of the game and always use the same one;
  • a special space can be created  in a corner of the house to be reserved for games, setting up a soft area with a large rug and cushions for the very young, or with a table and chairs suitable for children for the older ones;
  •  while playing you don’t have to think about order and cleanliness , to create you need freedom of action. Children must move freely, trying only to avoid damaging things.

A stimulating game, especially suitable for children under one year, is the “basket of treasures” designed by Elinor Goldschmied, a British educator and pedagogist (1910-2009) who collects a variety of objects, most of which can be found in environment in which the children themselves live, but none of which can be defined as a real “toy”.

Click here to read how to play with the treasure basket

Games for children one year and older

For children from one year upwards you can do various activities such as:

  • manipulation with salt dough , usually much appreciated by children, because it allows them to touch, transform and explore the material with their hands, stimulating the imagination to create shapes and objects, with the help of plastic knives, rolling pins, molds and even a little ‘ of tempera to give colour. For the mothers and fathers who usually prepare bread and pizza at home, even the little ones of the house can be enlisted in this activity who will make their own pizza, breadsticks and everything their imagination will guide them to create with a small piece of dough!
  • decanting with beans, pasta, lentils, rice and much more. Obviously the smaller the materials used for the decanting, the more careful you have to be, because children’s curiosity is great, they really like it on a sensory level but it can be dangerous. As containers to be used, the bowls of ricotta, the yogurt jars, the container of powdered chocolate, funnels and much more are fine.
  • symbolic play and disguise. Also for these games you only need what you have at home, therefore pots, pans, frying pans, wooden spoons to be able to identify with mum or dad who cooks, empty containers of detergent, soap, clothespins and much more to pretend to do the washing machine, ironing, cleaning, taking a shower. Children really like and appreciate even more dressing up as mom and dad so allow them every now and then to be able to put something in your closet and you’ll see how happy they’ll be.
  • create sound bottles and musical instruments , because children really like everything that makes noise. You can use plastic milk bottles and fill them with seeds, rice, etc. and once sealed, use them as maracas. For older children, you can build a rain stick, cymbals with rigid plastic plates and metal caps and many other tools, even invented at the moment.

The older the children grow, the more they will guide you in their games, but never forget to find some space to freely color together, or to read some fairy tales together, regardless of the age of the child.

Dr Kathryn Barlow

Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.

Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.

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