Often we see kid rooms being full of toys, clothes, decors, and other stuff. Nevertheless, it is usually in a mess, because children simply love to put everything back in place. No, not really :)). Needless to say that if you want to ensure an environment that stimulates child's development, this is the scenario to avoid, as the first and main preset for a stimulating environment is having enough space where to play around.
They already have that? Then continue on reading and find 3 more things that you as a parent can do to help stimulate child's development!
First of all, blank pages and pens/pencils should always be easily accessible. When inspiration strikes, a child must have the opportunity to let it out. Otherwise, you may end up with painted walls instead :) Another alternative - have a wall built from GIGI building blocks that he can draw on without worrying much. Probably all of us remember the time in our life when walls (especially white ones) were seen like the perfect canvas for expressing our ideas in writing or drawing. Imagine...big blank page to draw on.. Amazing! With a wall built from big building blocks your kids now can have this enormous space where to let their imagination flow!
You as a parent can try to catch this moment when your child is either writing, drawing, or simply letting the creativity flow, and try to involve in the process by asking questions that could lead to further development of thought, e.g. “What does it look like?” or “Does it have a name?”. Those will be two strikes in a row, as you will motivate your child to not only draw and fantasize, but also develop his storytelling skills and his ability to express his thoughts out loud.
Secondly, have dimensional objects in the room, e.g. building blocks that will be beneficial for his spatial intelligence. This is one of the most versatile toys, as the child can not only play with one block as a unit, but connect them so creating objects that have larger dimensions. Afterwards you can suggest him to try drawing this object on paper so taking this play to the next level. Or, if you wish, do it the other way around - encourage your child to draw something and then to build it in 3D - from big building blocks!
Last but not least, have enough colour in the room that stimulates the child to be active, but not so much that he cannot rest and find peace there. This is why it is good to have different areas for different purposes - play corner, sleep area, and etc. Moreover, try to observe your child playing and try to catch the time when he starts to get tired. Yes, you probably already know that the activity time must be limited, as a child can concentrate only for a certain period of time, but don't only concentrate on how long he has to be active, but also on the time he needs for resting.
Additionally, for you as a parent we would like to recommend two more things - be present (appraise him, acknowledge his accomplishments, ask questions, pay attention to details) and try to think one step ahead - if he is building a playhouse from building blocks, try already imagine how to prolong this playtime with the same toy e.g. by suggesting that he could also build furniture for it.
And remember! What a child needs is only 3-5 toys, but versatile enough to keep them occupied for more than one hour. Save yourself some money and space and choose wisely which ones those will be! :)
What are your tips and tricks in creating an environment that stimulates child's development? Comment below!