Encouraging Creativity & Imagination In Young Children

10 ways to help foster the natural creativity and imagination preschoolers seem to posses:
  1. Set out unusual toy combinations, such as blocks + dolls or play dishes + fabric scraps.
  2. Ask open-ended questions such as “What would happen if…?” or “Why do you think…?”
  3. Place a new art tool, an unfamiliar toy, or a tray of unusual collage materials where your child will find it and be intrigued to explore.
  4. Read books about animals, people, places; have conversations and encourage your child to ask questions.
  5. Listen and respond to your child’s questions (even if they seem endless!). Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know. How could we find out the answer to that?”
  6. Gather and set-out props that encourage pretend play, such as dress-up clothes, clipboards, maps, menus, etc.
  7. Provide open-ended toys, such as blocks, playsilks + fabric, art materials, etc.
  8. Start a junk box where you collect boxes, old catalogs, cardboard tubes, etc.
  9. Provide large blocks of unstructured play time with plenty of opportunities for making choices.
  10. Have a collection of child-friendly discovery tools in an accessible place: magnifying glass, binoculars, tape measure, magnets, buckets and other containers for collecting.

These ideas and several other creativity/imagination resources can be found at the Let's Explore Blog.

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