Comments on: The importance of creative play for children: two perspectives http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/24/the-importance-of-creative-play-for-children-two-perspectives/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:09:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Randy Compton http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/24/the-importance-of-creative-play-for-children-two-perspectives/#comment-22301 Randy Compton Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:16:40 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2891#comment-22301 Thanks for a great post. Imagination is indeed critical for our children. I remember a story about a kid who was handed Playdoh and he turned to the person who gave it to him and said, "What does it do?" In addition to getting kids to play with sticks and refrigerator boxes, I think we also need to develop toys and games that are open-ended. At the risk of self-promotion, I would like to say that there is one game that does this called Think-ets. It uses miniature objects from around the world for imaginative play. Kids love to use them for storytelling. We even have a place in the instruction manual for kids to write down their own games they have created. Creativity from the inside out is vital to the health and wealth of our culture. The Alliance for Play is also a great resource for this subject. Thanks for a great post. Imagination is indeed critical for our children. I remember a story about a kid who was handed Playdoh and he turned to the person who gave it to him and said, “What does it do?”

In addition to getting kids to play with sticks and refrigerator boxes, I think we also need to develop toys and games that are open-ended. At the risk of self-promotion, I would like to say that there is one game that does this called Think-ets. It uses miniature objects from around the world for imaginative play. Kids love to use them for storytelling. We even have a place in the instruction manual for kids to write down their own games they have created.

Creativity from the inside out is vital to the health and wealth of our culture. The Alliance for Play is also a great resource for this subject.

]]> By: grumpypilgrim http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/24/the-importance-of-creative-play-for-children-two-perspectives/#comment-22191 grumpypilgrim Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:05:03 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2891#comment-22191 Creativity isn't dead yet. I know more than a few children who have more fun playing with big, empty cardboard boxes than with any of the toys they have in the house. Speaking of boxes...refrigerator boxes make awesome "toys." I saw one neighborhood group that created a huge fort (probably 20'x30') for their kids by connecting a bunch of frig boxes together, then cutting interior doors, windows, turrets, etc. What frustrates me more than kids not having time to play anymore (because their parents have structured every waking moment of their lives), it's that kids don't get enough physical activity. We are growing a nation of little blimps, and the (non-)exercise habits they have as children will all-too-likely likely become the habits they have as adults. Creativity isn’t dead yet. I know more than a few children who have more fun playing with big, empty cardboard boxes than with any of the toys they have in the house.

Speaking of boxes…refrigerator boxes make awesome “toys.” I saw one neighborhood group that created a huge fort (probably 20′x30′) for their kids by connecting a bunch of frig boxes together, then cutting interior doors, windows, turrets, etc.

What frustrates me more than kids not having time to play anymore (because their parents have structured every waking moment of their lives), it’s that kids don’t get enough physical activity. We are growing a nation of little blimps, and the (non-)exercise habits they have as children will all-too-likely likely become the habits they have as adults.

]]> By: Candace Uhlmeyer http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/07/24/the-importance-of-creative-play-for-children-two-perspectives/#comment-22099 Candace Uhlmeyer Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:38:05 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2891#comment-22099 I'm glad to see this topic raised more and more frequently in public discourse. The lack of imagination, curiosity, and wonder among many of my students (in a design school, of all places), seems to be directly connected to their dependence on structured, pre-digested play concepts (including product tie-ins to television shows and films). Few kids seem to go out and just <i>play</i> any longer. Should I ever be blessed with grandchildren, the gifts I give will be hours in my backyard "forest," build-your-own fairy houses, and, yes, sticks. I’m glad to see this topic raised more and more frequently in public discourse. The lack of imagination, curiosity, and wonder among many of my students (in a design school, of all places), seems to be directly connected to their dependence on structured, pre-digested play concepts (including product tie-ins to television shows and films). Few kids seem to go out and just play any longer. Should I ever be blessed with grandchildren, the gifts I give will be hours in my backyard “forest,” build-your-own fairy houses, and, yes, sticks.

]]>