Get Creative With Creative Play

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Get Creative With Creative Play

Creative play is one of the best ways children learn. It helps them to develop problem-solving skills, improve their self-esteem and grow their imagination. It should be part of any learning environment, especially during the early years.

If recognisable objects are repeatedly used at home and in the learning environment, creative play can be stifled. An example of this is play dough. While an excellent tool to encourage creativity; if used too often children can resort to the same creations every time.

To avoid this, introduce a greater variety of materials with which your students can get creative. This will expand their awareness of the world around them and help to improve their creativity.

In addition, using a variety of different objects can increase a child’s curiosity and their engagement in the activities you provide.

There are numerous ways to achieve this. Some simple solutions include:

Bargain Hunts
Around the country there are dozens of car boot sales, auctions and charity shops offering unique items for good prices. Take some time out to search for a bargain and see what items might be of benefit for your learning environment.

Pipes
Pipes and guttering are the perfect resources to help children play with water in interesting ways. For instance, could they make a waterslide for their favourite doll or action figure? Building centres might have off-cuts they can provide for free, but even when bought, the price can be affordable.

Tyres
Attracting children to play with tyres isn’t hard. Somehow most will be drawn to them, and as they engage with the tyres, they will learn new ways to play and use them. Tyres can be bought new, but this can be rather expensive; alternatively, they can be bought in good condition second-hand for less.

Attics And Garages
Anyone who has been in a house for a long time has probably stored and forgotten numerous items over the years. By searching attics and garages you might find the odd treasure that can be used in creative play, e.g. unused wallpaper rolls, carpet or laminate flooring, or perhaps an old telephone.

Where do you get your creative play resources? What has been the most sought-after item by your children?

Let us know in the comments.

Able Canopies Ltd. design, manufacture and install canopies and shade structures
at schools, nurseries and educational settings to enable year-round
Free Flow Outdoor Play and Outdoor Learning.
For more information please contact us

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Get Creative With Creative Play

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