Play is one of the best ways that we all learn and through play kids develop and grow much more than kindergarten readiness. What exactly is play? It’s experimenting, discovery, creating, and interacting with real or imagined objects and people. And what do kids play with? Anything! Usually when we think of play, we pair it with toys, as in what comes from the toy store and fills up a playroom, especially when it gets spread out on the floor. But kids can and do have fun with something as non-toy as a bunch of socks.
This game, Match-the-Socks, might not seem like much fun, but there’s a Sock Monster on the loose that eats any socks that are not in pairs. We set the timer for 2 minutes to see if we could match all the socks before it rang because any left-overs would get eaten up by the sock monster. The learning part is checking the patterns, colors, and sizes on the socks for the mates and all the language that is used. The play part is the pretending and imagining, feeling a little bit scared, talking to the monster, and giggling together.
Our laundry basket monster has big, square eyes, a nose with spots, and a mouth with sharp teeth and a long, green tongue. It’s made from bits of tape and contact paper. It’s also fun to take it around the house, that’s the adult part, and see if it can find any dirty laundry to eat; picking the clothes up off the floor and throwing them in is the kid part. (The monster only likes dirty laundry. When the washing and drying is done, it spits out the clean clothes to get folded and put away.)
Besides the laundry basket, recycling bins are another great place to find items that kids can use in play. An assortment of containers make a great kitchen or restaurant. They also make a variety of sounds for the restaurant to change into a band or parade. A few pieces of paper to be money and the scene changes to a store.
Toys and play go together but practically anything can appeal to a child as a toy. That’s what often gives parents, caregivers, and teachers grey hair! Play is more than fun, it’s how a child learns and develops. Does your child have time to play? How would you explain play?