Lifting the lid to the imagination
Debbie Baker • September 30, 2020
Lifting the lid to the imagination
Early morning in the Grade 0 classroom heralds the arrival of young learners. They each come with a different morning response depending on how their particular day started. Each child is acknowledged, greeted and this salutation often leads to a conversation. The little box holding their imagination has been unlocked.
Within that first response, the child will display their emotions and their enthusiasm, or lack thereof, and it will ooze out of that little box as the lid is slowly lifted off. And so begins the power of their imagination.
After the child steps into the classroom, there are a variety of activities to choose from and a child will naturally steer towards that which he feels comfortable. Sometimes a child will stop and watch a classmate engaged in an activity and follow suit or gain inspiration. The contents of the box are ignited and a flame flourishes igniting their imagination.
Imaginative play allows a child to role play. They can act out various experiences or they can try out something that interests them.
Why is this important in a child’s development?
• Firstly, by experimenting with decision making, they have the opportunity to choose what to play, how to play and whether to engage others in their play or rather to just play alone.
• Through engagement with others they experiment and practise the art of communication and how it affects those around them. They develop their language and social skills simply by talking to others.
• It fosters creativity, because a child can make believe a role or act out a scenario or experience.
• It promotes physical development in a fun way. Activities can promote hand-eye co-ordination, like moulding animals or cupcakes out of playdough, dressing a teddy in clothing, making a pasta necklace, building a tower or constructing a house.
• Using their imagination, children can develop self-confidence as they go about solving a problem. For example, when deciding on roles…Who is going to be a king? What happens if more than one child wants to be the king? How can we play so that everyone has a chance? Compromise and decision making invites opportunity for self-regulation and acceptance when you can’t always get your own way.
• Imaginative play offers opportunity for little ones to create incidental learning. “I must share my playdough pizza with my two friends…how should I cut it?”
• For some children, just the ability to create an art work without having to follow a brief can instil the most amazing, imaginative works. It will often soothe a child who is feeling emotional or who just wants to express their ideas freely.
So why is the power of the imagination so important for a child? Well it influences everything they do, think about and create. Who knows what could spill out of that box if you allow the lid to be lifted. You could be pleasantly surprised as you unwrap this rich source of infinite possibilities.
It could lead to new theories, inventions or entrepreneurial dreams in the future. Let children play…it’s the power of the imagination!
Article by Debbie Baker
Grade 0 Teacher, Crawford Pretoria
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