Fun Activities For Kids - Stretching Their Imagination...

Creative play is important in helping your child develop their imagination, examine fact and fiction and so on. In this sub-section we will provide you with one or two ideas for encouraging free creative role-play activities and practicing their amateur acting skills with play-scripts.

Role-play

Sofa-ri!

Go on a safari from the comfort of the living-room sofa! Choose someone to be the pilot of the plane, fasten your seat belts, and fly away to distant lands. Anyone suffering from restlessness during the journey can take on the role of steward and serve imaginary drinks and peanuts (or even real ones!) Keep an eye out for amazing sights as you fly - the tiny rivers and mountains below, beautiful clouds and, of course, the wild animals. When you do spot something, it's time to perform your best impression of a gorilla, parrot, snake, giraffe, crocodile, etc.

Vets

This activity also features animals, but should be a little quieter! You will need a vet and at least one pet owner. The vet will need her own special table with a pen and paper. She may like to dress up too - a jacket, tie and spectacles are perfect, as is a white lab-coat. The pet owner can choose a cuddly toy, wrap it up in a towel, put it in a box, and visit the vets to explain the problem - perhaps a sore paw or a touch of bear measles. No doubt the toy will not want to go to the dreaded V.E.T. but you'll have to explain that it is for the best! The vet needs to examine the toy very carefully... give it a squeeze and a prod, look into its ears and check its teeth, until she has diagnosed an imaginary illness. The pet owner will no doubt need to hold the pet and calm it with soothing words and comforting strokes. Possible treatments may include imaginary injections, pills or special diets. Be sure to jot down the patients' name, symptoms and cure. These will make for treasured reading in years to come, showing how much your child cared for their toys.

Rock Star

This idea may not be for all, but there are definitely some children who will enjoy inventing their own rock star. Any old wigs in the family attic? A leather jacket? Retro clothes in the wardrobe? Combine them all with old biscuit tins for drums and any instruments you may have in the house. Your child now has the right to behave like a star for the rest of the day!

Mom For A Minute

Your child spends most of her looking up to you. Why not give them the opportunity to spend a day in your shoes (literally!)... Give your child clothes of yours to wear, let them style their hair to look like you and it will give them an insight into what life is like as Mom. Remember to take lots of photos and save them to show any prospective husbands many years down the line! This activity could just as easily be altered for a boy (Dad For A Day).


Copyright (c) 2010 Ivana Katz