I have conversations with my husband about how we used to make up games when we were little. We didn't have much, but I just remember having so much fun growing up. My brother, sister and I would make up games, inside or out, be creative with what we had, use our imagination.... you know, back in the day. I sound so ancient. I truly cannot believe the amount of toys that are out today. And for absolutely everything. There really is no need for children to use their vivid, fun and creative imagination these days. They don't have to imagine, they just have....
I am in the mood to purge throughout our house. I am looking at the mountains of toys they girls have and wondering what I can do away with. So I start with the toys and the first thing I see are the instruments. We are a music house, so I can't get rid of their instruments. Or can I.....
When we were growing up, we used pots and pans for drums, wooden spoons for the sticks, our air instruments and mouths for the guitars, trumpets, saxophones, etc., and a hairbrush for a microphone. Come on, dance and sing with me. You know you did it too! And it was SO MUCH FUN!!!!! I watched my 4-year old, who is very creative and imaginative, create an entire band in front of her using her garden tools, cups, play-dough shaper (we didn't have those either.. back in the day) and anything else she could find. She had to work to put this together. And all of her instruments were right upstairs. She even lined up her animals and dolls behind her for "the rest of her band." She then asked me for a mic stand... you know - since she had to sing AND play. Did I mention we are pretty musical in our house? So, following suit, I handed her an empty crayon box. Tah-dah! We have a mic stand! And she was SO very excited.
Then my 2-year old wanted a microphone too. I saw a tinker-toy stick on the floor in front of her and told her to pick it up and use that. It was like a foreign thought to her. She couldn't even see it, literally. She didn't get it. When she finally picked it up and held it in front of her, she deflated... as if to say, "I can't believe I have to settle for this." She looked at me, I started to count off and she put it down. She said, "Mommy, I want my microphone upstairs." And off she went to get it. Then I was deflated. Have I totally zapped her from all of her creativity? Imagination? When she came down I told her that I used to use a hairbrush. And still do sometimes. It's just plain fun! She totally didn't get it. Abi, my 4-year old, thought it was great and told me to go get one to use, so that I could be in the band too. Then when they were getting ready for a rest/quiet time, Abi lined up all the instruments for later:
So here is my thought for the day. Do we REALLY need all of these toys? Do you really need all of the toys in your house? What if we packed up at least half and eve just put it away for a while. Even just a week. To see what might come out of it, how our children will grow in just one short week. Kids are smart. Kids are creative. Kids are curious. Kids are entertaining. What would happen if we let them use all that creativity, imagination and energy? And go rid of the crutches that make things so easy? So unimaginative? I say let them create! Let them imagine! And let them see the potential they have to think up new things. Let them feel good about what they can do.
Let me know your thoughts and what you might like to put away for a while. And how it goes. And what your kids come up with!
