Add Art Materials
What’s a playroom without some art and colouring materials? According to experts, art is a natural activity that supports free play in children since it encourages experimentation and exploration. It also enhances their fine motor skills, and it’s a good stress reliever after a long day of doing schoolwork. To get your child started on their artistic journey, provide materials such as sketchpads, pencils, crayons, finger paints, washable markers, and chalk. Add some PlayDoh or clay so they can create mini sculptures, as well as fabrics, ribbon, and other decorative items that they can use to make art projects. You may also want to add a few colouring books so your child can engage in mindful colouring activities to help them relax.
Include Toys for Imaginative Play
Pretend play or imaginative play helps your child to be creative while developing their emotional skills. This type of play can also enhance a child’s communication skills, so be sure to include a few dolls and playsets that will enable them to act out stories, such as kitchen sets, tea sets, or mini grocery sets. As they grow older, expect your child’s pretend play to become more imaginative and elaborate, so you may need to add some shops or stalls made of cardboard, plus some career toys or beauty and dress up sets.
Independent play enhances creativity, builds confidence, and prepares your child for some of the challenges that they may encounter as they grow. Consider these ideas to create a safe and fun playroom, and help your child discover the magic of unstructured play.
Kylee Harris is an educator who has taught in elementary schools in Singapore and Hong Kong for 5 years. She lives in Florida and continues to teach life skills to young adults in her community.
