Mady's Creativity

So have I proclaimed my hatred for noisy toys to you? Oh I have? Ya, probably, if you've known me for all of 5 minutes.

Here's the thing. I figure that kids spend a lot of time playing. And from that play I want my kids to be able to learn and not just sit passively while a toy "entertains" them. I like toys that can be more than just what it presents itself to be. I love when toys follow the 10% toy and 90% imagination rule. Not everything in our toy box follows that rule in a perfect ratio, but we aim to have more than less. And very few things (if any at this point) make noise. Usually the ones that do disappear very quickly.

I can block out "kid noise" from their play, but "toy noise" gives me headaches. Especially when it's those singing toys that interrupt themselves when you push the button again. Then some tiny tot (usually under 2, but not always) finds great joy in pushing it over and over again and all a person hears is the "duh-nuh, duh-nuh, duh-nuh" of the toy for hours. Gah! I can't handle it!

BUT, I was beginning to wonder about this whole "simple toys inspire imagination" philosophy because I wasn't really seeing tons of it from Mady. I mean, she made up little games and lined up all the toys, but she wasn't creating or pretending anything that we didn't suggest to her to play.

Until the last couple of months. Now, pretending is her new favourite thing to do. It's like she just discovered what pretending is. Pretty much no toy gets played with in its intended form with the exception of dolls, her kitchen and her shopping cart. The other day she brought me this:

What do you see? (tell me in the comments what your first thought was)

I'll wait while you come up with something.

...

...

...

Mady explained it as a bowl of mini wheats (the triangle pieces being the mini wheats). When I asked for a spoon, I got a "chicken spoon" and then she brought me a glass (blue cylinder shape from the shape sorter) of milk. That totally makes sense to me!

Are your kids pretending a lots? What is your favourite kid toys to give to or receive for the littles in your life?


ps - I'm so close to being done a couple of fun little projects. I just need a good nap time to finish them. Hopefully today!