Room Weaving

January 19th, 2010 by Dionna | 10 Comments
Posted in Children, Eclectic Learning, Preschoolers, Toddlers

I have been reading a book by Mary Ann Kohl called Making Make-Believe. It has over 100 unique ideas for helping foster creative and dramatic play.

The author explains why dramatic play is important for children’s development. Here are some of the ways that making make-believe benefits kids:

1) Cognitive – children solve problems like who gets to be the wolf, or what to use as a prop for a magic wand. Language develops as children use sentences and phrases to direct the pretending and communicate with each other. Children may also learn to understand symbolic thinking such as mime or using imaginary props.

2) Emotional – pretending is the perfect time for children to express emotions and to learn to be in control of their own play. It is a time to work through stressful or happy occasions. It is a time to let fantasy and reality blend without the worry of which is which.

3) Social – playing and pretending with others is a time to learn how to get along, share roles, cooperate, and work through problems. Role-playing is a chance for children to “try on” the roles of people in their lives, like a baby sister, parent, or teacher, or roles from their imaginations, like dinosaurs and firefighters.

4) Creative – creativity blossoms and grows through pretending and dramatic play. The children use their imaginations to steer play, to control it with rules and guides, and to make use of props and accessories in new and wonderful ways. And only they have the power to undo, redo, or create their play situations.

5) Physical – all of the many things children do as part of their play will help develop fine and large motor skills, which will later help them do things like cut with scissors, hold a pencil, jump rope, or write their names. (1)

I am so excited to try some of the ideas with Kieran. Here is one that looks particularly fun:

Room Weaving

*Tie any smaller pieces of string & yarn together to make one long strand. Roll into a ball. To begin room weaving, tie one end of the string/yarn to a doorknob, closet rod, bedpost, or chair leg. Take the string from one object to another, tying or wrapping around furniture or objects to hold it in place. String can crisscross itself and go all around the room like a web. Now weave and tie strings in between the first strings. A plan is not necessary, just keep tying and weaving strings to strings. When the web is done, imagine and play in the room weaving. Pretend the room weaving is an imaginary world, a spider web, a thick jungle, an underground cave. You could also add sheets/blankets to create little forts.

I think these dudes need a little help from a 3 year old.

Once we try this activity, I’ll be sure to post pictures of our own room weaving.

What are your toddler’s or preschooler’s favorite make-believe activities?

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(1) Kohn, Mary Ann, “Making Make-Believe: Fun Props, Costumes, and Creative Play Ideas,” at 10 (1999). “Room weaving” is found on page 21.

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