Child’s Play: Are you stifling your child’s creativity with brand name toys?

Developing a child’s creative thinking should be as important to parents as developing their academic skills. In fact, it should be more important. Academic skills fit naturally when other areas are developed.

What is creative play?

Basically, creative play is any game that allows your child to be imaginative. It can be encouraged by encouraging pretend play or fantasy activities. It doesn’t have to be limited to arts and crafts and should be the main focus of all play activities.

How can brand name toys affect your child’s creative thinking?

A brand toy is not imaginative. If you want to see how suffocating a name brand toy is for your child’s imagination, just take it to a toy store. Chances are, if you pick up an Elmo doll and ask your toddler what it is and what its name is, they will tell you that it is Elmo and that whatever activities they plan for this toy will be brand based. This toy will never be anything other than Elmo to your child.

Now hold up an unbranded toy and ask them to name it and your child’s imagination will spring into action and give you an imaginative name and an imaginary story behind who this toy is. The next time you ask, you will probably get a whole new scenario. Because the toy is unbranded, your child can imagine or pretend that it is whatever you want it to be.

By creating an environment in which your child can let his imagination run wild, you are allowing him to develop life-long skills as a more tolerant individual with excellent problem-solving skills, negotiation skills, and the ability to adapt in any situation.

Creative play it is very educational and encourages free thinking. It is the freethinkers of the world who create change, innovate new ideas and technology, and become the leaders of the world. If you stifle your creativity with brand name toys, you will limit your imagination.