Imaginative Block Play Accs

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Imaginative Block PIay Accessories

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Star Wars Action Figures...Ilatchbox or Key Cars...FisherPrice or Lego ftPeoplerr. Ifhat do they all have in comnon? That no one can say, ttf macle it myselfrr, or rrl'tomrny (naday, Tcacher) That no one c:rn g,o orrt for a rvalk in !{atrrre made it for me.rr tvith thern. And that the more detailed poclrets fiII onets and less they can rr(lott in the hands and the playthings are, these mind of a healthy, imaginative child. A Darth Vader can only play that role, eanttot be usetl f or the child I s orrn, non-cornrnercial fantasy play. This display tallle is set up tvith rvoorlen blocks and block play aceessbries f rom the lfnldorf School pre-school/kinrle rgarLen class()s. Everything in the display is a gif t f rom Nature, or harrdrn4rler o f notural materials. These are use(l by chilrlren in otrr school , ages 4-5, for imaginative f ree play. Please feel f ree to play rvi. t,h the display, to change it, to ask qrrestions: lrs(: yo"rTffigimtionl Here are sone examples of naterials one coulrl have about the kindergarten classrootn or day care home, to foster healthy imaginative play. These can be lcept in several baskets, divided by categorles:

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Pinecones Seashe1ls Ratr or dyed wool Peach seeds Sections of branches Iarn Shapes of colored felt Cotton cloths Carverl rsooden animals Pieces of silkSmall felt people Yarn dolls Given suitable materials, netv rvorlds can be created by the nost naturally creative people of us all- children. The rvood and stones can be used to build castles, brirlges, and roads. Pieees of felt ean be laid out as green grassy meadotss, lrlue lakes or froz.en snot{. Pinecones can lte set about as trees, sticks can be piled up_.to be a fire, The wooden animals can be cared for by the little felt people and yarn dolls. Small shells can be borrls, larger ones can be boits. .Pieces of rvood tierl together make a train. Bas*ets Iinetl up on a table become a store, where one can buy things in exchange for a few pieces of barlc, or shells...rshieh can also be put in a pot and cooked for dinner! Possibilities are entlless. The pinecones, with a piece of ryax stuclc on at one enrl, some feathers added anrl a piece of yarn tied round the middle, can beeom.e flying birds. Cotton cloths can serve as capes, table cloths, doll blanlcetsl they may be hung on a clothesline after real or imaginary rrashingr oF draped over chairs to beeome houses, barns, etc. The delicacy ol such natural toys will help the children take . morE care in their play. The variety of tactile experience and the use of different rveights and shapes will stimulate and refine the chlldrenrs developing senses. Familiarity with objects and materials from Nature makes a bridge into later study of the Natural Sctences. l{e hope the children you &re involved rvith can finrl as mueh enjolment in rediscovering this more organic form of play as the children ve have encountered. Iror your further exploration, a ehort blbl lography f o1I orys. Acorns

Making Soft Toys--Freya Jaffke

Creative Toynaking--Alice

Austin \/aldorf School

Gorge

The Do11 Book--Korin Neuschutz

Children at play--IIeidi Brirz-Crecelius