Let's Pretend!

Every child utters these words at some point in his or her life, some more frequently than others, and some every day! Adults often wince when they hear the phrase, because pretending becomes harder as we grow older. We tend to lose the ability to let our imaginations soar, and we definitely feel more inhibited about pretending to be something we’re not.

Children, on the other hand, feel no such restraint, and it’s a good thing. In truth, when children pretend, they are not only fulfilling dreams, but also learning how to communicate, solve problems, and become more flexible human beings in pursuit of their goals. They can discover new talents, both their own and those of their playmates, and learn to express themselves in ways they may not have experienced yet. Imaginative play can give them the opportunity to imagine an uncomfortable or scary situation in a safe environment.

“Emotional intelligence” is an attribute that serves all of us well. Pretending has the potential to help expand a child’s ability to read personal cues and understand how to find a mutually beneficial path to long-term goals. Social skills are developed as imaginary roles are taken on or assigned. Sometimes they have to wait to be the princess or the monster in the story. They share knowledge of how they think the situation should play out, and learn to negotiate when necessary. All of these are beneficial skills for adults as well as children, so the next time your child wants to play pretend, do your best to indulge them!

Guest post by Bridget W.

GET OUT! No, Really, Get Out.

Spring might not officially start until next week, but for those of us here in Ohio, where the winter has been long and fierce, the 50-degree temperatures that we’re seeing this week make us want to run outside in shorts and t-shirts and jump for joy! I’m sure that a much-needed trip to the park is on the schedule of many families with little ones who’ve been cooped up for the last several months. This is the one time of the year that I won’t be offended if parents choose a trip to the park over a visit to the library. ;)

Seriously though, playing is actually one of the best ways for kids to learn language and literacy skills. This may sound too good to be true, but it’s just good AND true! For one, pretend play helps children think symbolically. The ability to imagine that a swing is a rocket ship or a little brother is a dinosaur allows kids to use their imagination when listening to stories and even helps them to tell their own stories. Plus, the ability to understand that one thing can stand for another helps children realize that written words can represent real objects. That’s an important idea for pre-readers to grasp.

After a trip to the park, encouraging children to talk about their experiences—what they did there, what their favorite parts were, what they might do next time—helps them develop narrative skills.

So, thaw out and do some playing, and then remember to come back to the library to visit us again soon!

Lucky

Lucky, by David Mackintosh, shows the power of a child’s imagination in a rather hilarious way. Leo and his brother are having breakfast one morning when their mother announces that she has a surprise for them. Since their mom refuses to let them in on the surprise until dinner, the brothers’ imaginations are left to run wild. Ideas that start with curly fries quickly turn into more lavish surprises, like a new car and a swimming pool for their backyard. Finally, the boys settle on a two-week, all-expense-paid vacation to Hawaii that they’re quite sure their mother has won through a radio contest. The rumor spreads through their school, one of the boys tells his teacher that he’ll be gone from school for two weeks because he’ll be on vacation in Hawaii, and the principal decides to give the entire school ten minutes of free time because, “…this is the first time in history that anyone from our school has ever won a vacation.” After school, the boys hurry home to shock their mother by telling her that they’ve already guessed the surprise. Much to their disbelief, their mother greets them with a pizza rather than a vacation announcement.

Through his silly plot and equally amusing illustrations, Mackintosh is able to demonstrate how a child’s imagination can get twisted with reality in the blink of an eye. This is a cute story to share with your little dreamer.