Imaginative Children

Playing make believe is one of those sacrosanct rituals of childhood. Kids can entertain themselves for hours, alone or with friends, lost in a world of pretend. Props can vary wildly, depending on what’s available. When I was little, my best friend and I could spend entire days in my basement with nothing but a tape recorder to capture our spirited narratives. But just like good accessories can make an outfit, good props can elevate a make-believe session to a whole new level.

This is the premise behind the new dramatic play boxes from The Imaginative Child. Basically, it’s a big, sturdy plastic bin filled with all the props you could ever need for a particular theme of make-believe. We’re selling the Let’s Play Restaurant kit and the Let’s Play Veterinarian kit, as well as two smaller kits, called “I’m a Star” and “I’m a Doctor.”

We gave our 3-year old the Let’s Play Restaurant kit for Chanukah last night, and to say it was a hit is an understatement. My little one absolutely adored the kid-size apron and chef’s toque. She immediately took to taking orders on the order pad, and adding up our total on the calculator. The kit also includes a sectioned plastic plate, a menu, a salt & pepper shaker, several tupperware containers, plastic cups, a whole bunch of play money, ketchup and mustard bottles, a name tag, napkins and a table cloth (which also doubles as a good superhero cape, as it turns out).  It also includes a CD-ROM with resources for parents.

Overall, I thought the whole kit was beautifully done. They included so many interesting things, and many of them didn’t feel like toys, which is always especially appealing for kids. I also love the container that it comes in – clean-up was a piece of cake, and I can also add new props to the box as inspiration strikes (imagination isn’t limited to the youngest generations, after all).

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