How Children Play

Some days I find that the children need a little help in creating a play space that  they will play with for some time.

Yesterday was a day when Moran got up (very early) and got some ocean coloured cloth out and  some sea shells as well as the fishing game we have from the Butterfly room. She then got a very long stick and tied a dressing gown tie to it and played fishing.

After some time she had finished playing with this game and tied it in a bundle.

As I was tidying up I thought I will just set this up in another room and make a little beach scene for someone to play with. Myffwyn came along and thought that she would love to play.

What I love about these 'open ended' play items is the building on that happens.
Myffwyn got a mermaid finger puppet, seagulls for the yellow sand and some pirate finger puppets, put them into a basket for the pirate ship and played with these for quite a long time. She created many scenarios for these few play items and I really felt she went from a 'what can I do' phase to a very contented little girl.

I have said it before but I truly believe creativity in play or other aspects of life builds it's own dare I use the word 'aura'.
Once Arwen saw what Myffy was doing she wanted to create her own game. She asked me to get down the Merchants House from our Catechises of the Good Shepherd items and then we got our Sylvanian Families  (in the USA they are called Calico Critters) and I played with her for quite some time.

Really it was a very simple game. I walked the little families from the basket to the  door and knocked and Arwen let them in to the other side.
She was so happy playing this very simple game once again for a long time.

 I really can't stress how much our children love these type of materials for play and how much I see them use their imagination and play skills when they are creating different games.

This was a lunch time picnic one day last week that I had to be the 'waitress' for. Seriously I love it when I see how much the children are happier when they are using their creativity and imagination.

Blessings to you and your homes,