FAQ

How can an adult support healthy imaginative play?
Those words transport a child into another universe. By mentally moving beyond time and space, a child catches a glimpse of a place where everyone lives happily ever after. However, imagination must be learned: an infant does not know the exuberance of pretend play or the mindless joy of a daydream. The development of imagination follows a predictable pattern. An infant learns through sensory impressions: he hears a lullaby and knows it’s naptime; he smells mom and anticipates milk. A baby only knows what he can see and touch and feel. But before a child’s first birthday, imitating bye-bye waves and blowing kisses hint at the true imaginative activities that follow. For although a preschooler still lives in the here and now, fantasy play invites a child to explore and investigate in new ways.

Play with your child. Pretend to pour tea from a teapot. (Don’t spill!) Build a castle from the sofa pillows. Your free thinking will show your child, “It’s ok to pretend.” Provide props. Add action figures to the block shelf. Drape a sheet over a chair. Stock a spare shelf with leftover wrapping paper, empty paper rolls, tape and crayons, then watch creativity unfold. Choose open-ended playthings that can be used in many different ways. When purchasing a gift, remember that the more a toy does, the less a child does. Children learn by being mentally and physically active: a child learns very little by watching a toy perform. As a child moves toward the school age years, he will gradually learn the difference between what’s real and what’s make-believe. A child who says, “Dolly can’t really talk,” may be asking you to verify that fact, so be alert to opportunities that help your child distinguish between fantasy and reality.

On the Paddywhack Lane website, your child will find elements that contribute to fanciful fun. There are costumes for dress-up and pictures to color. You’ll find games to play and stories to sample. But beyond the fun are virtues of respect, co-operation and friendship. On Paddywhack Lane, children listen politely when others speak. Children learn to co-operate with friends and help those in need. They practice kindness and act responsibly, because real-time virtues go beyond online fun. When that happens in a fantasy world or the real world, perhaps we can hope to live happily ever after.