“I bought her this beautiful, expensive toy and she just wanted to play with the box!”
Sound familiar?
I am guilty of this myself. Over the years, technology and plastic have infiltrated toys. As adults, we see toys that we imagine we would love more than that simple one we received as children. I was so excited to receive a doll with hair that would grow if you pulled really hard on that yarn coming out to the giant hole in her head (yes, it was the 80’s). Then cutting the yarn and refilling it through a hole in the doll’s back… not as fun. The excitement only lasted a short time.
Now I can buy my children a play kitchen that looks like my dream kitchen. It has all of the accessories needed to cook a gourmet meal. It even has lights and sounds. We can pretend to brew coffee and listen to the water gurgle. The three year old opens the box, Mom runs for the screwdriver and Dad is frantically working to cut all of those plastic items from the box display. After a half hour, they are proud to present their child with this incredible play kitchen, ready to go!
Where is the child? In the box of course!
The excited parents try to coax the child out of the box, but three-year-old whining sets in. The child is very comfortable playing in his box. He has brought in a pillow, teddy and a book and loves his new cozy space. The next day, the well-meaning parents take the box to the recycling bin and the child has a meltdown.
The bottom line is this – go simple!
Have you ever seen a child get lost in their imagination while playing with rocks and sticks? How about those amazing creations built with simple blocks or Legos? My daughter used to build full houses for her dolls out of whatever scrap cardboard and fabric she could find. I think her dolls had a nicer couch than I did!
Simple toys and loose parts spark creativity, imagination and critical thinking skills. They allow children to think outside the box (pardon the pun) and find solutions for problems. When the “experts” speak of the traits they look for when hiring, these are them! These are skills that children need as they move through the world of academics. They will use these as they negotiate relationships or come up with the next scientific discovery.
Below are links to some of my favorite gifts for young children. Please leave a comment with your favorites!
Create a science kit! You can purchase one like this or create your own! To create my own, I would include: recycled glass jars or these Mason jars, fantastic droppers!
Build, Build, Build! Simple wood blocks, with a little weight, are best to build with. I like ones that are simple shapes and a natural color, so your child’s imagination can shine through. Magna Tiles are one of my favorite toys to play with and I have seen children from 2-12 enjoy them. The use of magnets and the way they click makes them cathartic to create with. They are a little pricey, but last forever, even with more aggressive children. Picasso Tiles are similar and less expensive, connect to Magna Tiles with strong magnets, but I cannot attest to their lifespan. Legos are a classic (just the bricks), check the ages listed for which type to purchase as some can become choking hazards to little ones.
Dramatic Play for all! This is a great area to be creative! Hit a thrift store or ask friends for fabric scraps, scarves and ties. Give your child a mirror and see what they come up with! Dramatic play often includes a toy kitchen as children love to mimic their parent’s cooking. Save one of your large delivery boxes and build a kitchen together. Ask the child what should be included. Find some old silverware (not plastic, children can handle the real thing). Wood slices and other scrap wood pieces can be made into all sorts of things! Give the child some of your smaller boxes to see what happens. These wooden peg people leave lots of room for creativity (remove small ones for children under three).
Go Outside! Simple outdoor items can create hours of fun. Build muscles with bouncy balls, soccer balls, hula hoops (mostly for obstacle courses) and tricycles. Bring out the science materials and art supplies, chalk and bubbles to add to any dirt and sticks. Old pots and pans outside can be musical instruments or tools for playing in a pile of dirt!
