Do you remember when you were a child and you would use the power of your imagination to transform the world around you? No matter if you were by yourself in your room or with a group of friends, you could turn anywhere or anything into whatever you wanted to. From sitting on a wagon pretending that you were a pirate sailing across the seven seas to imagining the rock in your hand was actually a race car zooming its way to the finish line. A child’s imagination is pretty incredible and this is clear when you watch your young one role-play. While imaginative play is purely for enjoyment in the child’s opinion, did you know that it is also very beneficial to their early childhood education? In this blog post, we will talk about the things that your child is learning when they use their creativity to create a world of their own. 

If you are currently looking for a child care center for your kiddo in Cedar Rapids or Blaine, then go ahead and contact Compass Early Learning to schedule a tour or to learn more about our center.

Social Skills
Social skills are so important to your child’s development. If they do not know how to interact with their classmates, teachers, or other people that they encounter, the world can become a pretty difficult and scary thing for them to maneuver through. When they partake in imaginative play with neighbors, friends, or classmates, they are learning how to be around their peers and how to make friends out of strangers. While one kid is a detective and the other is an elusive jewel thief on the run, their minds work together to create the story and figure out where it leads. This will help them to realize that making friends isn’t such a frightening thing after all and is actually really easy! 

​Language Skills
If you just sit in the area of a child role-playing, you will not only hear words and phrases that you didn’t realize that they know, but you will also see how their mind is developing and enhancing their storytelling abilities. Imaginative play is great for your young one’s language skills and will also help them understand the difference between the written language and the spoken one.

Creativity
It doesn’t matter if you are an artist or an accountant, being creative is important for everyone in our day-to-day lives. It’s incredibly beneficial to encourage your child to be as creative as possible right from the get-go and one way that they can do this is through imaginative play.

Problem Solving
Surprisingly enough, role-playing is actually very good for their problem-solving abilities. While they are trying to figure out which world they will be living in, whether it be one of superheroes or aliens, they have to piece everything together. What are these superheroes’ powers? What do the aliens look like, and if they aren’t friendly, how are they going to save the earth? The child must also use their minds to figure out the props and costumes. All of this, in its own way, is a great example of problem-solving which they will use all throughout their lives. And hey, if aliens do invade earth, maybe they can help!

As you can see, imaginative play is so much more than just a good time for your young one. It provides them with cognitive skills that will carry on throughout their lives. That’s why here at Compass Early Learning, we make sure that it is a part of our curriculum because we believe that their creativity is just as important for them as learning math or science. If you would like to learn more about our childcare center and how we can help with your kiddo’s early childhood development, give us a call today.

Early childhood education may just seem like art and activities, but in reality, your kiddo is learning a lot, both about themselves, others, and the world around them! It may not seem like it, but preschool offers all sorts of opportunities for your child to develop and grow into themselves. Early childhood education offers physical development, social development, emotional development, cognitive development, and literacy development. Your child’s first few years of school are filled with wondrous moments that shape them more than you would know! There is an intense amount of brainwork going on and you may only witness some of it while they are home! At Compass Early Learning in Coon Rapids and Blaine, we aim to foster and support your child’s creativity and learning through our early learning programs, like S.T.E.M., art, and music and movement. Enroll with us today and expose your child to the world of endless learning and fun!

Building Their Social Skills
Yes, your child does learn to socialize while they are at home, but it is essential that they learn to socialize in a safe environment outside of the home as well. Introducing them to other children will allow them to build friendships, which helps children overcome shyness and gain self-confidence. Social interactions also teach your kiddo how to get along with other children and gives them some insight into how to play with other kids and respect their space. Social development will help build your child’s social skills, language, and even conflict resolution. Positive interactions with other children help them explore skills and other interests, leading them to build a healthy view of themselves. They also learn how to work with others, which is a skill that will follow them into their professional lives. 

Experience Is The Best Teacher
As children are exposed to environments outside of their home, they are able to think more complexly, making decisions, and solving problems that would otherwise not present themselves. The classroom is a unique place for children to reflect on and use information that helps them understand the world they live in. As they explore new situations, experiences, and environments, children’s minds are more lively and imaginative. Teachers help to balance this stimulation by asking them to listen, follow directions, and participate in group tasks, building the critical skill of concentration. By making their environment somewhat challenging, the teacher is encouraging students to learn through first-hand experiences that help build coping mechanisms for the greater challenges they will face in life. They will learn how to better handle their emotions and themselves. 

An Excitement For Learning
When your kid is surrounded by a stimulating classroom that supports creativity, music, art, and the sciences, they are excited to continue their educational journey, opting to take a positive perspective on new learning experiences. Compass Early Learning helps kids develop an enthusiastic thirst for lifelong learning by providing programs like S.T.E.M., Music and Movement, Art, and Dramatic Play. Each program inspires your child to approach school and learning with eagerness, ready to re-discover their love for education every day they are with us! All of our educators are trained in identifying where children need the most support, which is why our programs create a holistic perspective that will help your kid flourish, preparing them for a lifetime of learning. 

Exercising Their Minds And Bodies
As stated previously, early childhood education is essential for working out their minds, but it is just as important for their bodies! Our teachers offer various physical activities that will encourage your child to move their body, which supports motor skills and healthy bones and muscles. Whether it is indoors or outdoors, children can run, jump, climb, throw, and catch, expanding their physical abilities and inspiring them to continue an active lifestyle as they grow older!

At Compass Early Learning, we are inspired to inspire your kids! Every moment of their lives is a moment that they will learn from, which is why it is our goal to expand their horizons and optimize their potential. Their lives are just beginning and the world is opening up for them. Don’t let them get lost, enroll them in Compass Early Learning today! We specialize in infant care, daycare, toddler child care, and preschool. Schedule a tour with us at our Coon Rapids or Blaine locations today!

Fostering a creative child has more benefits than you might know about. Not only does it help them mature mentally, emotionally, and socially, but it helps your child develop social skills and decision-making skills. As your child grows older, society’s structure and pressures can hinder a lot of their imaginative expressions, so it is essential that your child uses their creativity to establish confidence, independence, self-reliance, self-esteem, spontaneity, and more. At Compass Early Learning, we strive to help your child find and develop their creative side through our early childhood education. Our Preschool Adventures offers a holistic curriculum that will not only encourage life-long learning, but will engage your child in creative exploration! Contact us today to schedule a tour or find out more about our preschool classrooms and infant care. ​

Create A Space For Creative Engagement 
Designating a space where your child can explore their creativity is important. Not only does it keep the rest of your house a little cleaner, but allowing your child to have a corner or even a  portion of the living room to play dress up, play with LEGOs, or simply draw, will allow them to feel power over the space. Creativity can flourish even in the most cramped places, so when children feel like they have the resources and the space to be themselves and explore their ideas, you can expect their freedom and autonomy to flourish as well.  

Invest In Open-Ended Toys
Open-ended toys, like stuffed animals, LEGOs, building blocks, and anything else that can be used in a multitude of ways will help foster your child’s creative side. LEGOs can be built and rebuilt into castles, cars, homes, giant people — whatever your child desires in that moment! Stuffed animals become more than just stuffed animals when they are signing the Declaration of Independence, or saving a planet in a different solar system from intergalactic warfare. The opportunities really are limitless with these open-ended toys.  

Give Them Free Time
Structured creative endeavors, like art class or dance class, help to build your child’s creativity in a methodical way. They do not, however, give your child the creative room they need to breathe and really be themselves. Kiddos need the freedom and the time to explore their thoughts and imagination at a pace or location that isn’t being controlled. Allow your kid a few hours at home without any activities scheduled so they can play and putter around. You can even let them activate their senses by taking them to the library, to a museum, or just take them outdoors and let them explore. In any of these places, they can imagine traveling to faraway places or meeting imaginary friends that will help them on a secret adventure. 

Offer Feedback And Not Criticism 
Criticism comes when you try to manage or overparenting dampens the ability to be creative. Don’t hover over your child and constrain them externally — by telling them to color inside the lines, so to speak — because it can also reduce their flexibility with creative thinking. Embrace their creations and their imaginative thoughts by asking them questions about it. Kids have their own thought processes, so if we can’t understand what they’re trying to communicate, it helps to just ask! It shows greater interest and helps you understand what’s happening inside their minds. Celebrate their ideas by voluntarily asking to hear them. It shows kids that ideas aren’t scary and neither is offering your opinion.

Fostering a creative environment for your children is a great way to instill the skills and mindset your kiddo’s need to feel confident and prepared to take on the world around them! You are helping them acquire the knowledge that they will take into the future with them, helping to build a rich and fulfilling life. More than that, however, it helps make your home more fun. Exploring our imaginations is something we can all benefit from! To learn more about Compass Early Learning, or to schedule a tour, contact us today!