Creative Play

Tea Party

I have 2 young children (ages 2 and 4) and one of my favorite things has been watching their imaginations develop, especially in their creative play.  I am one of those moms who believes in independent play and play that requires thinking.  All I mean by that is that you don’t need to buy a set of toys to replicate a scene, such as the grocery store or a tea party.  It’s great fun to have those toys, but how much better is it when your child takes some other container and dubs it a tea cup and saucer?  Regardless of where you get the toys or how many you have, or even of how much you spent, your children have all the resources they need in their little heads!

Our 4 year old daughter has had an active imagination for quite some time, and we are starting to see our toddler’s develop, too!  I copied her preschool program by setting up a play area with a specific theme: tea party!  While I pulled out a card table and the basics, I really enjoyed watching the kids add the details, such as sugar, milk, and biscuits.   Our toddler was an eager party attender, as well, and LOVED pretending to pour milk and dump sugar in his “tea” cup.

How to set up play themes

Grocery Store

There aren’t a lot of rules per se, but here is what I would recommmend:

• Think of a theme {see below for ideas}
• Look around the house for items you can use {very frugal, I know!}
• Have the child help you set up and think of ideas
• You set the boundaries, such as in their room or for a set amount of time
• Play with the children and allow them to play alone
• Ask the kids for new ideas or ways to enhance the current one.

Possible Themes

While I do have some of the following props, we often use something else in its place- by helping your child be imaginative in their play, you are fostering creativity and frugality in their little hearts and minds!  It has never occurred to our children that we don’t have exactly what we need to make an idea come to life!  In fact, most of their jerry-rigged contraptions are better than a life-like toy, like today when they pretended their room was a park and used a nature sounds white noise generator to make it rain!

• Tea Party- table, chairs {edge of bed!}, tea set, pretend food
• Kitchen- a play kitchen, or just the top of a dresser, pretend food, a grocery cart, a cash register
• Nursery- dolls, baby accessories, crib/bed, high chair, stroller, diaper bag
• School/ class room- teacher desk, student desk, paper, colors {if you dare!}, chalkboard/dry erase board
• Pet Store- stuffed animals, price tags, cash register {teaches them about money, too!}, play money
• Restaurant- table and chairs, pretend food, plates, plastic ware, menu, bill,cash register, play money {You could even fold a dish towel and tuck the edge in your child’s waist band for a waiter “look”}

*If you do want to buy some things, check out Craig’s List, FreeCycle, eBay, charity shops, Good Will, and consignment shops before you run out to Target- you’ll be amazed at how many things you can find cheap!