Q: I'm looking for toy suggestions to encourage my daughter's creativity
Skills
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Look for toys that do not have one specific purpose, but can be used in a variety of ways. For example, toys like Lego, Magna-Tiles, and Citiblocs have the potential to be used differently each time you play with them and give your daughter the opportunity to be creative and use her imagination. In general, toys that encourage children’s creativity have no pre-determined expectations, no specific outcome or problem to solve, and no rules or scripts to follow. Instead, children themselves determine what to do, how to do it, and what to use. Another fun toy that encourages children’s creativity is Makedo’s free play kits. Each kit includes a reusable connector system that enables your daughter to easily join together materials including cardboard, plastic and fabric to create whatever she can think of, the only limit is your child’s imagination. LeapFrog also provides games, such as Crayola Art Adventure and Mr. Pencil Saves Doodleburg, that can inspire your daughter's creativity.
Jennie Ito, Ph.D.
Child Development Expert
Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.