SONG OF THE YEAR
UAE National Anthem
SONGS OF THE WEEK
Arabic Song
To listen to the song of the week for our Babies, kindly click on the link below:
I Love You
To listen to the song of the week for our Playgroup I, kindly click on the link below:
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
To listen to the song of the week for our Playgroup II, kindly click on the link below:
If You Are Happy and You Know It
To listen to the song of the week for our Foundation Year, kindly click on the link below:
If You Are Happy and You Know It
Imagination and Creativity in Children
Imagination is
our ability to mentally produce images, ideas, thoughts and even feelings that
do not exist in reality. Creativity is the process of transforming imagination
into reality and the basis for the capacity to improvise.
Creativity is not
limited to artistic expression, such as painting or composing music. A person
can be a creative doctor, a creative mechanic or a creative judge.
OUR BABIES
In the first year
of a baby’s life, his thoughts are concrete – connected to his senses and the
objects he sees and feels. Cognitive psychologist Jean Piaget described this as
“sensory-motor thinking.” A baby grasps an object in his hands and explores it
through his senses. He looks at it, listens to it, touches it, tastes and smells
it. Later on, he conducts other “experiments;” he jumbles materials together,
tosses them, throws them, etc. Towards the end of the first year, the first
sparks, or hints, of his imagination start to appear. When imagination first
kicks in, it paves the way for imitation. He imitates concrete actions which he
sees around him, such as speaking on the phone, combing his hair and more.
Imaginative play requires children to invent their
own stories; turning their ideas into words while self teaching vocabulary and
grammar. The creativity
at this stage becomes more symbolic – a rattle turns into a telephone, and a
wooden spoon into a comb. When
a child engages in role play or imaginative play they are actively
experimenting with actual life roles. Whether it be as themselves, animals or
adults they are constantly figuring out for themselves key life skills useful
when dealing with peers. These important skills are the stepping stones of
children learning of how to interact socially and develop social behaviors such
as eye contact, voice tones and emotions.
Imagination is fostered through
play. Allowing children to play freely with various toys or other objects gives
them the opportunity to engage in their own creative and imaginative thoughts. There
are studies that suggest that imaginative play in developing children pave the
way for a child’s ability for self-regulation which includes civility, reduced
aggression and empathy. Through imaginative
play, child development takes place in such a way that it encourages social,
emotional, intellectual and even physical growth.
Furthermore, when children are given the freedom
to experiment with different thoughts, ideas and perspectives, they also have
the chance to find their own resolutions to any obstacles they might be faced
with. It’s easy to see how the development of these skills will directly
influence their ability to interact socially as well as thrive intellectually.
Studies have
shown that imaginative play can foster important social qualities, such a
co-operation, empathy, and appreciation of others’ feelings. Imaginative
play also allows children to explore both the physical world and the inner self
at the same time, helping them to recognize own emotional responses to things,
which is a very healthy process. Between the ages of three and four, children
begin to engage with modes of speech and attaching words to emotional
experiences – we might hear our child telling off their dollies for being
naughty, for example, or lovingly tucking them into their cot before bed. In
this sort of imaginative activity, children can act out through play and
private speech all the things that are going on in their life, processing how
they felt when they were told off themselves, and developing an empathetic
understanding of why their parent was angry, or how it feels to care and be
cared for.
It is important for
children to take part in creative activities as there are a range of benefits
to developing a creative mind. Developing a love of creativity at a young age
will help your child become a creative thinker as they grow older.
AFTERNOON KIDS' CLUB
