Know the ways to spark your child's imagination

Imagination is one of the marvellous things our brain can create. It opens up the path to endless possibilities. Developing it from childhood is a great way to form solid cognitive abilities that help later in life. Hence, if you want to make your child's play productive, focus on both educative and creative aspects.

While it may not seem easy, you can easily mould your child's brain early. It is the perfect time to teach them new and exciting things. Simple practices like introducing them to magic sets, open-ended toys, dolls, pretend animals, etc., does the trick. Other ways to nurture their creativity are:

Lead by example: Your kids rely on you for everything. They see the world through your eyes. Therefore, it is your responsibility to be a great role model. When you take up activities like playing an instrument, inventing recipes, dancing, painting, etc., they get inspired. They do what they see and learn new things in the process. You need not be a professional to encourage them. Little things go a long way.

Unstructured play: Letting your kids get bored is a smart strategy you can opt for. You need not schedule all the activities for their day. Let them try to explore new things to do, as this opens up new possibilities for creativity. The inner quiet they experience during this time is enough to spur up their imagination. It is like magic for kids when they come with unique solutions for their boredom.

Cutback screen time: There are digital aids available that teach kids in many ways. However, they are passive learning methods. By doing this, your child learns from other people's images and ideas. It should not be the entirety of the exposure your child gets. To induce imagination in the right way, you need to limit their screen time and let them learn from things around them.

Select appropriate toys: Battery-enabled and automatic playthings that only need to get triggered to play are not ideal for your child's development. You should include activity-based games. These include best toys for 3-year-old like building blocks, dress-ups, figurines, etc.; you can also show and tell them about incredible things like magic, stories, wonders, etc.

Go outdoor: There is no better place than nature in its natural state to spark creativity. When you are outside, you are not limited to resorting to things you usually do. You look around and learn new things. This is what kids get to have when they play outside. Devoid familiar visuals and clutters in the house, your child can see new things in the open space.

Let them figure out: It is hard to resist the urge to correct kids when they do something wrong. But slip-ups are part of the learning process. They lead the way for experimentation and discovery. Hence, let your child have lead and explore.