Information Brought To You By :
A world of exploration and discovery
Sam is a precocious three years old . He lives a very active life with his mom and dad , who both work full time , and his two older siblings . He goes to day care while his siblings attend school except for one day a week when he visits his grandparents . On weekends , the family stays active with family outings , visits to friends , play dates and shopping for the week ahead . When at home , the older children have iPads and spend time playing electronic games . The television is always on and there is a high degree of acting out that takes place in the household . Little Sam is considered the “ bad seed ”— always vying for attention , good or bad , from his parents and siblings .
At his grandparents ’ house , Sam is a different child . He spends hours in a little room by himself , playing with building blocks , cars and books . The TV isn ’ t on . His grandmother takes him to gymnastics ; an activity that he has chosen and loves . After lunch , another quiet time ; this one designated for a nap but often utilized as a time to play with his stuffed animal , Charlie . Then it ’ s time for a walk , or a short trip to the backyard to explore . Sam picks up leaves , asks questions and imagines he is a pilot flying a pretend plane up in the sky .
It is evident that Sam enjoys having time to himself , in a supportive environment . Parents often forget that children of all ages need blocks of silence and stillness to simply rest , relax and reflect — just like us . These moments give children the opportunity to use their creativity and imagination to decide how to use their free time , what fantasy to explore or what part of their world they like to discover , at their own pace , in their own way .
Child-development experts unanimously celebrate the benefits of a healthy imagination . Children with good imaginations are happier and more alert , better able to cope with life ’ s twists and turns , and more likely to grow into welladjusted , secure adults . Children today desperately need time and space to develop their creative imaginations free from adult agendas . Even if your child complains , “ I ’ m bored ! There ’ s nothing to do !,” trust that if you force them to figure out for themselves how to fill their time , their innate creativity will kick in and their imaginations will soar .
In a recent article Magical Child in Nurture Parenting Magazine , author Jenny England notes , “ In our rush to introduce children to the intricate technological world of the twenty-first century we often forget that the main occupation of magical children is developing their imagination , a sense of who they are as individuals through all kinds of self initiated unstructured play .” She goes on to say that the special moments when your child is engaged in exploring , taking initiative , copying others and using their imagination to make things are the main ingredients of play and should always be encouraged .