Imagine That!

When I was younger, I wanted to be heroine, to have marvelous and dangerous adventures, and to have a head of long, lovely hair which would blow in the wind while I was adventuring.  Because it was the late fifties and early sixties, and our parents trusted us to say "no" to strangers, my brother, sister, and our neighbor friends roamed the fields and woods having adventures (one wish down, although they were not generally dangerous!).  If we were playing a game in which there were few female characters, I would take the name "Chris" or "Lee" so that the others would think that I was a male character when I was secretly a female character (Hah! I was a heroine!  Wish #2!).  Since I was not very good in the growing long, lovely hair department, I took an old pair of tights, twisted the legs together, put a rubber band around the ankles, and put them on my head (sorry, no pictures!).  I am sure that it looked lovely blowing in the breeze.  (Okay for #3.)

Young children use their imagination to make sense of the world and to learn more about it.  Several themes are almost universal.  Children love to use a telephone to call their parents, and will use a block, a car, or even a shoe for the telephone.  Having a friend die and making them alive again with the doctor kit, or delivering a friend's baby by poking her in the leg with play forks and blocks is another favorite.  Every preschooler worth his or her salt has played puppy at one time or another.  (Note to other teachers:  Watch your ankles when the puppies are around, especially if you are not wearing thick socks.  Trust me on this one!) 

Unfortunately, today, as the children grow a little older, the tendency to engage in imaginary play decreases.  I don't know why this is so.  Part of the answer is technology since their toys do everything for them now.  If you listen to a preschool classroom, you will not hear car noises when the children are playing with cars.  Fifteen years ago every boy was adept at making all kinds of car noises, but now they play with cars that make all of the noises for them so the do not make car noises.  There is not need to putt-putt, screech, or varoom.  As the children grow older, they feel the need to follow scripts exactly.  I once had a school age child who was upset because she wanted to be a girl Power Ranger and the girl rangers (pink and yellow) were already taken.  I suggested that she become a purple ranger, but she could not do that because the Power Rangers did not have a purple one.  I suggested that it could be a new Ranger, but not matter how I tried to suggest a change, it would not be possible because THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS A PURPLE POWER RANGER!!  Is this because of all of the screen time?  I don't know, but it is very sad.

Perhaps children lose some of their imagination because the adults have lost theirs.  A school age boy once loved to dress up in the "girl" clothes - big hats, silky shirts, shiny skirts, and the red high heeled ankle boots.  This was greeted with laughter by the adults, and even some comments that he might not grow up to be a "manly man".  If they had bothered to listen to him or talk to him they would have know the truth, that he was playing Batman.  Bob liked the Riddler and the other villains, all of whom dressed in colorful outfits.  The "boy" dress up clothes consisted of dress shirts, suit jackets, and work boots - nothing a self-respecting villain would be caught dead wearing.  If he wanted the bright colors of a villain outfit, he needed to wear the colorful clothes.  Fortunately, Bob was having so much fun that he didn't pay attention the adults, but it is so sad that the adults had developed such a narrow outlook and could not bother to listen to a child's fun.  I don't know if he is a manly man today - I guess I could write and ask his drill sergeant.

When your child is imagining something, encourage him.  Be involved in the play, but do not (as some child care teachers unfortunately do) change or manage the play to make it "better".  I have watched staff take over the game, change it, and direct it.  They then cannot understand why the children are no longer interested in playing.  It is because the game no longer belongs to the children, and because they have been told that their game is not adequate.  Imagination is a wonderful thing so encourage it.  The inventors, explorers, artists, writers, and scientists all have been able to imagine something and create it, discover it, or invent it.  Our children may never grow up to be a great scientist or a successful writer, but having a good imagination will enrich their lives for years.  So when your child is playing, play along.  As well as being a special time together, it will encourage your child's growth, be a lot of fun, and might even set your imagination free!