The imagination is a powerful tool. Of course, sometimes it can have some funny results. Take my two year old, for example. I was craving soft pretzels a couple of weeks ago and delighted my family by actually baking during our summer heat. The boys devoured theirs on this Saturday morning and romped back outdoors because they are young and don’t mind our intense summer heat. Greta took a break from her “snack” and proceeded to run around while I snagged a couple of quiet moments to sit on the couch and read my book. She flitted into the room toting a plastic pistol. {That kind of thing happens when one has 3 older brothers.} I stopped her after she took aim at me, explaining that we don’t shoot guns at people. In an attempt to engage her imagination and send her off into that imaginary adventure {so I could return to my reading}, I told her that guns were for shooting food.
I forgot that she was only two. I forgot to clarify what that meant and explain the concept of hunting for meat. But my prompting had the desired affect. She pranced off into pretend play land. I didn’t get the chance to return to my reading, however, because it wasn’t long before my hubby called from the kitchen to inquire why our daughter was shooting her pretzel.
Encourage Ingenuity — It’s Frugal!
Speaking of the imagination, in this culture of instant access to all kinds of resources and inspiration, we can sometimes fall prey to the lie that we must buy our kids lots of things to aid them in their pretend play or that we need these amazing supplies to engage their imagination and foster the learning process. I know I can easily fall in love with that beautifully made, detailed costume. But our children regularly remind us that they don’t need much. In fact, with the imagination, they can convert just about anything into a useful plaything.
Any guesses as to who my little guy is trying to impersonate here? They’ve come up with all kinds of creative costume solutions to fuel pretend play of one of their latest obsessions.
As I look forward to our new school year, I’m reminded afresh that when it comes to our dramatization and projects that we’ll be doing this year, that many times less is more. Encouraging their creativity and ingenuity can be of far greater value than providing them with that amazing manipulative, costume or educational toy.
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Good reminder post before I head off to our homeschool convention here in GA today….I have my goals and list….but you know sometimes it can be hard not to be wowed by all of the cool extra stuff :o)
Laughing very hard! G is a hoot!
I remember Kelly D. wearing three baseball caps with each bill turned a different way so that he had a tri-cornered hat for his presentation on Patrick Henry. During co-op. His mom rolled her eyes, but I L.O.V.E.D it. I gave him an A for his costume!