Sometimes people talk about play as if it were a relief from times of serious learning. But play is serious learning. Play is a child's natural way to learn about self, others and the world.

Encouraging Creative Play

For some children, dressing up in different clothes can quickly encourage creative play. Other children may find it more fun to pretend with puppets or small toys. Just as we find our own ways of expressing our adult selves, hopefully children will find theirs. That's why they need a variety of playthings to stimulate whatever creative play they may choose. With open-ended materials, like dress-up clothes, blocks, musical instruments, and props, children can make of them what they need.

Pretending is Creating

For many children, playing dress up is a favorite kind of pretending. When children try on and play with adult-sized clothes, hats, makeup, and props, they have an opportunity to learn more about the grownups in their lives. Dress up play about kings or clowns, fairies or witches can encourage children to take on roles that help them express their feelings in a positive way. In addition, while they're playing dress up, children often interact a lot and engage each other in rich conversations. So this kind of play helps children develop language arts skills.

No matter how children choose to express themselves in their play, they can begin to know, as we do, the pleasure of creating something that comes from their own ideas, thoughts and feelings -- something that's truly unique. When you let them know their play has value, you're letting them know you believe they have value, too.

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