Unleashing Creativity Through Unstructured Play
welcome to Season 4!
Equipping parents during their child’s academic years to bring learning to daily moments.
on today’s episode…
In this episode, Dr. Kelly Cagle Share about how unstructured play is important for children's growth in creativity, confidence, self-awareness, and communication skills. Listen to this episode to hear more!
insights
What is Unstructured Play and Why is it Important?
Unstructured play is free play. When kids are given the space to use their imagination, they grow in confidence, self-awareness, communication skills, and problem solving strategies.
5 Applications to Unstructured Play
Play dough– bring out play dough containers and let them create, with no strings attached. No instructions to create the letter “A” or make a “dog.” Place the containers in front of them and walk away.
Magna Tiles– put away the manual that came in the box with ideas of creations. If your child needs help getting their creativity flowing when they are first introduced to the tiles, then let them browse the manual and familiarize themselves with the tiles’ versatility. But after a few days, take away the manual and let them decide what they want to build.
Trampoline– extra add-ons and gadgets are not needed with a trampoline. Kids will create so many competitive games, as they practice teamwork, collaboration, communication skills, and conflict resolution– because you know someone will lose.
Hide and Seek– a simple game that has been around for years… with a spin! My kids play hide-n-seek in the dark, build additional hiding places, and in the woods– with bigfoot involved. Kids get really creative!
Lego– a new set is such a great challenge, and kids have to follow each instruction perfectly. This is a great purpose of Lego’s; however, when the masterpiece breaks, (and the meltdown takes place…) kids can then step into their creativity to think of a different outcome for those pieces. Your kids will blow your mind!!
A Simple Step Towards More Unstructured Play Time
Overall, simplify your schedules to create more opportunities for unstructured play. Remove the activities your kids don’t enjoy, remove manuals that keep your kids’ minds within a parameter, and remove the pressure you place on yourself to always entertain your kids. Let them be bored, and unleash their creativity!
Follow @drkellycagle on IG to see more ways to bring unstructured play into your home.
HEY THERE! I’M DR. CAGLE… DO YOU NEED HELP WITH CREATING GREAT HABITS???
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference Parenting is hard work. It requires tons of boundaries, daily consistency, so much awareness, as well as lots of patience, grace, wisdom, and filters. Combine that hefty list with all of life’s demands and others’ voice may become louder than yours in your child’s life, increasing their anxiety, fears, and doubts.
Healthy parenting is about seeing yourself as your child’s #1 teacher, saying the right words (or nothing at all) at the right time, and having the right tools to be intentional and impactful. Guessing your way through life, which is what most parents do, is a recipe for failure, but following the lead of someone who has two decades of research-based information and fully understands the demands of parenthood is a recipe for a full life— for you and your child.
With a PhD in education, I’m here to teach you how to use daily moments are learning opportunities so you raise confident and competent lifelong learners that thrive in an ever-changing world.
Additionally, I offer workshops and keynotes on various topics to parents, educators, students, and business leaders— because the need to understand, support, and empower learners is everywhere..
