This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
It is so important for us to continue teaching kids to create their own fun.
What does that look like to you?
Kids need unstructured play time. This means that you just let them play, without electronics, without a planned activity, without instructions. It encourages your kids to use their imagination and to explore. Often, by the time that our kids are 10-12 years old, they have been so trained to use electronics and rely on organized activities that they lose their willingness to just ‘play creatively.”
Here are a few things that you can do to encourage this type of play today…
– Give them a timer. I set mine for 45 minutes and they are allowed to go into the play room or into their room and just play.
– Give them some materials to use & let them create
– Give them a DIY creativity kit
-Set them up with some MatchBox Cars & let them have fun!
-Give them this DIY racetrack (or let them make one for $1)
– An armful of blankets (you wouldn’t believe how fun this is)
– Dump out the Legos or these Goldiblox toys & let them build!
– Let them explore outback with toy Airplanes and a cardboard box
– Let them make their own dinosaur from toilet paper rolls
– Or use those toilet paper rolls to allow them to build their own creations!
– Let them ‘cut the tree’s hair’ in the backyard with a pair of scissors (many of the trees in our woods have had ‘haircuts’)… you could enjoy a great book while you sit in and watch this little hair-cutting appointment.
– Put some stuffed animals in a cardboard box & tell them to have fun (that box will turn into a car, a house, an airplane…)
– Give them marshmallows and straws:
– A bucket of water, foil and some rocks (outside).
– Let them play at their DIY water table (learn to build it here)
Really the list is endless- just grab some things and let them get busy creative! You will be amazed by what they come up with when given the chance to GET CREATIVE!
Towards the end of playtime, you can jump right in and play with your kids
We love teaching independent play in our home. It’s such an awesome skill for kids to learn and incredibly helpful for a SAHM who needs to get a few things done around the house. We use a timer as well, and I really think it helps. Thanks for sharing all these great activities. Have a great week.
Lauren
Yes- exactly!! 🙂 i’m glad that you agree. 🙂 (I love your comments, Lauren! You are always so positive!)
My kids love their independent unstructured playtime. Just this morning my daughter came out of her room in some crazy outfit and told me all about what she’d been doing. I honestly think it’s one of the biggest positive tools. Great post and love some of those other ideas too!!!
haha!! I think so, too!! Completely agree!