How to Promote Creative Play in the Classroom

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A child learns how to be creative with art, imagination and music while playing. Children learn social skills as they play together and work together in the classroom. The developmental stimulation that occurs with creative play is as important as learning from a book or a teacher. Creative play also can encourage students' independence and emotional development.

Allow children time each day to play freely with one another using a variety of toys or books in the classroom. Children can find a toy they like and play with it how they choose. If more than one child like the same toy this will promote sharing and social interaction. The children can work together with their imaginations and creativity.

Let the children put on a play or re-enactment. Depending on the children's ages, you can assign lines to learn or you can stick with songs and movement. Allow the children to come up with costume ideas, create backdrops and scenery. You can even invite parents to see the finished product. Parental encouragement and approval is important for promoting creative play.

Set out clay or Play Doh along with cookie cutters, kid-safe scissors and rollings pins and allow the children to each have their own piece of clay or Play Doh. Encourage them to make any creation they want using the tools. At the end of the activity, encourage the children to talk about what they created and why. You can even have an art show to display the creations.

Children love arts and crafts so setting out paper, paint, glue, scissors, tape, glitter, beads, markers and more will stimulate creative play. Children can create pictures, masks, cards or whatever else they want using the items available. Again, you can discuss what each child made and show the artwork to the children's parents to showcase their creativity.