Top 10+ Activities to Nurture Pretend Play at Home

All this month at Being Savvy we've been exploring the world of the imagination.  We now know how important all that dress-up and pretend play is to our little one's development.  We know it's an essential part of the "work" of childhood.  We've peeked into what's really afoot when these little darlings play with their dolls and their action figures.  We've wandered into the whimsy of fairies and pixies and sprites.

But we parents, what about us?  Far too many of us say we're not creative.  Something about being grown-ups makes us feel far from the ease of a flight of imagination. 

The ever clever Ginger Carlson offers a whole volume of good ideas on how to open our own minds and foster imagination in our children as a result.  She inspires us to ask more open-ended questions, to explore the delights of "yes days," to re-learn how to look. 

And as with all things, imagination comes with doing.  Start with one of our great Savvy activities specially designed by parents for parents -- and let the creativity fly, for all of you!

 

Create a playspace for more creative play to flourish -- build a fort (or something else)

Act out anything your mind dreams up -- design a portable flannel box playscene

Making a world in a shoebox lets you remake your own world however you wish -- create a shoebox diorama

Take your imagination on the road -- pack for a getaway, no tickets required!

 

Your little one is made for the stage -- give life to a story with your own living room play

 

Hours of fun with no supplies required -- take your mind's elevator to any stop in the whole world

A doodle, a collaboration, a fantastic creation -- share a drawing and see what unfolds

Who says you can't travel through time -- let your imagination take you on a walk through the ancient world

A sweet twist on unit blocks -- indulge your architect's fancy with marshmallows

And for the entire set of Savvy activities designed to engage your little one's imagination (and your own!), don't miss these!

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Looking for somewhere near you that will really get your family's creativity going?  All our fantastic City Guide editors across the U.S. and Canada are posting today to bring you their best ideas for places near you to inspire imagination. 

Check out all of them today (and every day!) here!  Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver and Washington DC are all especially inspired by great places near them -- don't miss it!