Thrifty Thursday: Free Pretend Play Kits
Thursday April 30, 2009
Pretending is an important part of childhood. Pretend play builds social and emotional skills, language skills, thinking skills, and nurtures the imagination. In "The Importance of Pretend Play," Ellen Booth Church discusses how the process of pretending builds skills in these essential developmental areas. As homeschool parents, we can encourage pretend play even past the early stages of childhood by providing resources that spark children's imaginations.
Here are some free printable kits to encourage pretend play. They are great anytime there's a lull in the day or you hear the words, "I'm bored." If printed on colored paper and/or card stock and assembled in a folder, the kits can make a nice gift for the little people in your life. Additional props are suggested in each kit.
More Thrifty Thursday Tips for Parents:- Create a Coupon System That Works for You
- Find Children's Books at Bargain Prices
- Sell Old Textbooks for Extra Cash
- Giving Teens Access to the Library
- Save Money on Food Outside the Grocery
- Trim the Cost of Summer Camp
- Make Your Own Kids' Fitness Equipment
- Delayed Gratification - and When to Splurge
- Cut Your Child Care Cost
- Foster Care Adoption a More Economical Adoption Option?
Comments
I agree that pretend play is important, but it can lose its meaning if explicitly taught. In the autism world, some therapists have parents actually teach pretend play. If that is the case, then it is really more work and therapy, not play.
I chose to wait for my daughter to develop at her own pace, and she did figure out pretend play when she was ready. All I did was support her with the right props.
I did blog about pretend play a few months back.