I have encouraged imaginative play and open-ended play with the boys since they were really young. Hunting out the best toys for imaginative play. However, as the boys have got older their fine motor skills have developed our focus has shifted. Normally they are dictated to by whatever is on their Christmas or Birthday list. Harry is now seven and I have been reminded recently that though he is now in Junior School he still needs the benefits that imaginative play can bring young children. Even as a seven-year-old. I just need to find it in different ways for him. With that in mind, I have pulled together our five favourite imaginative toys for kids, suitable for encouraging imaginative play in slightly older children.
Before we go into looking at the best imaginative toys for kids, below I have covered from my own experience of raising boys the benefits of imaginative play and toys.
AD – This is a collaborative post and I have been compensated for my time.
The Benefits of Imaginative Play
There are many benefits of imaginative play. These benefits do not go away as the children get older, in some ways they need to develop an even deeper understanding. Which is why it is important to still have it as a focus. And in some ways, you could argue that it becomes even more important to develop a child’s imagination. As their world moves to online activities and screen time. Although as you can see below there are ways to build screen time into imaginative play.
Promotes Physical Development
Imaginative play promotes physical development in children by providing opportunities for them to engage in physical activity and improve their motor skills. For example, playing dress-up or pretending to be animals can involve movements that help develop gross motor skills, such as running, jumping, and climbing. Playing with wooden blocks or other manipulative toys can help develop fine motor skills, such as grasping and manipulating objects with the hands and fingers. As well as developing hand-eye coordination. There are still ways we can promote this in kids of all ages as they move away from wooden toys to other imaginative toys such as Lego below.
Developing Social and Emotional Skills and Awareness
It allows children to develop their social skills in a variety of ways, including learning to take turns, cooperate with others, and resolve conflicts. By engaging in imaginative play, children can also practice empathy and perspective-taking, as they learn to understand and appreciate others’ perspectives and feelings.
Additionally, imaginative play can help children develop their self-confidence and self-esteem, as they learn to express themselves and take on new roles and challenges. Overall, imaginative play provides children with a safe and supportive environment in which to develop their social skills, which are essential for success in school and in life. When Harry was younger this would result in hours of pretend play. As he has gotten older he can still develop these skills by using play sets such as Playmobil below.
Encourages Independence and Decision-making Skills
Playing with imaginative toys can also help younger kids with problem-solving and exploring different ideas. As they have the opportunity to make choices and take on new roles and challenges. They can practice decision-making in a safe and supportive environment, experimenting with different ideas and approaches without fear of failure or judgment.
By engaging in imaginative play, children can also develop their independence and self-reliance, as they learn to take on new roles and responsibilities and to solve problems on their own. Additionally, imaginative play can help children develop their creativity and critical thinking skills, as they learn to come up with new ideas and solutions to problems. Construction sets can provide hours of entertainment and really aid imaginary play such as the K’nex one below.
Builds Developmental Skills and Language Skills
It can also help them to develop language and communication skills, as they learn to express their ideas and thoughts through storytelling and role-playing. Giving them opportunities for them to engage in conversation, storytelling, and role-playing. Allowing the use of language in a variety of contexts, from negotiating roles and scenarios with other children to creating their own stories and narratives. By engaging in imaginative play, children can develop their vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, as well as their ability to express themselves clearly and effectively.
They can also learn to listen actively and to understand others’ perspectives, which are important skills for effective communication. Additionally, they learn to interact with others, share ideas, and work together to create imaginative scenarios and stories. When Harry was little this type of play would centre around dress-up clothes, pretend food, a cash register and a grocery store. However, as he has got older simple toys such as metal cars are a great way to expand on all of these learning points while having hours of fun.
Creativity and Imagination
Imaginative toys help develop creativity in children by providing opportunities for them to use their imagination and think outside the box. By engaging in imaginative play, children can explore different ideas, experiment with different roles and scenarios, and come up with their own stories and narratives. Encouraging them to think beyond what is immediately apparent, which can help them develop a more flexible and open-minded approach to problem-solving skills. As well as use their creativity to come up with new and interesting ways of looking at the world.
They can create their own stories, characters, and scenarios, and visualize things in their minds, which can help them in a variety of areas, including problem-solving, decision-making, and creative thinking. We put this to the test with some Minecraft figurines below.
5 of the Best Toys for Imaginative Play
I have tried to find toys which fit into these five developmental areas but for slightly older children. I have intentionally focused on mid-range classic toys which make a great gift.
Classic Lego
Harry loves Lego, it is one of his favorite toys. He will happily sit and build a kit all afternoon given the chance. As much fun as this is it is not developing his creative play. Although it is helping his physical development, especially his fine motor skills due to all the small parts.
If I want to focus more on imaginative toys then opting for a classic Lego kit will give him more free reign to create models which are not prescribed. Although many of the kits do come with some ideas to start with. There are still many bricks left over at the end to encourage kids creativity. Prices for classic Lego kits start as low as £17.99. This great toy is easily transportable and so we often take it on our travels. Since it is an easy way to provide entertainment while dining out or on a road trip. In our mind, this is one of the best imaginative play toys on the market.
Playmobil
Another brand of toy which Harry has had since early childhood. However, be mindful of the small parts for really small children. Offering various different playsets there are lots of different characters to choose from. They typically include small, detailed figures and accessories that children can use to create their own stories and scenarios. Making them some of the best pretend play toys on the market. They have everything from farm animals, to spaceships and small-world play. By combining different Playmobil sets and figures, children can create their own imaginative worlds and narratives, and engage in role-playing and storytelling.
Allowing children to role play, set up play environments and act out what they have seen in the world around them. Developing this awareness will help with emotional intelligence. And since there is such a wide range of choices then you should be able to find a set that matches their interests. One of the best open-ended toys for slightly older children.
K’nex
Another construction toy which again comes with a couple of ideas but basically gives children free rein to design and build what they want. Harry will sit and play with K’nex for a long time. Creating different models and trying to figure out how to build something. K’nex sets typically include pieces that can be snapped together to create a variety of different models, from simple structures to complex machines. There are plenty of different-sized sets to choose from and so over time, it is possible to build quite a collection. Suitable for seven year olds and over with prices starting at £24.99 and upwards.
Metal Cars
One of the most-used toys in our house. It is the simple things that get so much use. Harry quite often acts out little scenarios as they race around the track. And just like other small toys, they are the perfect size to take with you on adventures. Many of his cars have names and personalities, he often describes what they are doing and how they are feeling. All helping with those language skills. Great stocking fillers and available in a wide range of bright colours.
Minecraft Figurines
Perhaps not what you think of when looking for open ended toys. But in an attempt to match Harry’s interests with imaginative play they ticked a couple of boxes. Minecraft is a big hit in our house, so using mini figures to create our won designs and lands moves it away from the screen and back into pen and paper. Harry designs and creates Minecraft worlds with felt tips that are only limited by his imagination. This idea can be used with any play figures helping to develop creativity and imagination.
So there we have our five best imaginative toys and how they relate to the benefits of imaginative play for children. You can read more about our other educational play ideas here. If you were to pick just five good toys what would they be? Let me know in the comments below.
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