From the earliest ages, kids enjoy playing make believe games. They enjoy living in worlds of their own creation, as well as being someone they are not, such as a princess or a fireman. In the past, imaginative play was dismissed as
From the earliest ages, kids enjoy playing make believe games. They enjoy living in worlds of their own creation, as well as being someone they are not, such as a princess or a fireman. In the past, imaginative play was dismissed as just that — play. However, now we know that imaginative play has many benefits, from teaching kids to solve problems to teaching cooperation.
Toddler Town Daycare in Evanston is a licensed daycare specializing in the care of children from the ages of two to six. We offer a safe and happy daycare center and preschool so your children can learn and grow. We invite you to take a tour, meet our teachers, and see for yourself why we are one of the top preschool education centers in Evanston. Read below about the importance of imaginative play, and then contact us for a tour today!
BENEFITS OF IMAGINATIVE PLAY FOR YOUR PRESCHOOLER
Preschoolers Develop Thinking Skills
To play imaginary games, you have to think about it. Not only do you have to think about it, but you have to create a whole new world that requires communication skills, strategizing, and social development. Preschoolers have to think ahead, develop a plan, and think about the steps to accomplish that plan. For example, if they want to be a princess rescued from a tower, they have to find a tree to climb to be the tower and figure out the logistics of the whole scene. They will have to delegate amongst their friends parts and roles, as well as explain their thoughts to others. They may have to negotiate with others and consider other ideas to incorporate into their world. Building a world is not much different than building a multi-million dollar project in a boardroom. The same higher order thinking skills are required, and they begin at a very young age.
Preschoolers Develop Social Roles
By engaging in make believe, preschoolers will learn about social roles, as well as gain social skills. Let’s face it, it’s much more fun to play with others who can actively participate in a game with you than to play by yourself. Playing with dolls and action figures develops the same social connections as well. Children will naturally figure out emotions and body language as they play together. They can also begin to predict responses to certain situations and social scenarios as they inject themselves into their own imaginative conversations. Furthermore, being a hero and saving the world builds self-esteem. Your child will learn to cooperate and compromise through imaginative play.
Preschoolers Will Learn Connections
Because pretend play involves so many skills, it’s a great time for preschoolers brains’ to form important connections that will serve them for higher order thinking. If you think of a typical game preschoolers make up, such as a store, preschoolers will have to figure out how much items cost (or how to barter goods and services), use math skills for counting, adding, and subtracting, and figure out weights. Even if they are too young to put names to all these activities, they will learn at their level.
Preschoolers Will Learn About Themselves
The best way to learn if you like something is to try it out. When preschoolers engage in imaginative play, they will discover their interests, their abilities, and their talents. 