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Best Puppet Theater & Puppets Imaginative Toys
a puppet theater puts the kids and their puppets on center stage! The Melissa and Doug Deluxe Theater gives kids a perfect stage for kids to imagine a new story. In terms of puppets, the Melissa and Doug Palace Pals and Farm Friends are on my kids' wish lists this year. My kids especially love people puppets, however, so this family set would also be perfect to add to our collection. These are all great quality, and the true puppet theater makes it a desired activity.
Lower cost DIY alternative: Use the edge of a table as a puppet stage and make puppets out of paper bags or old socks.
Best Dolls and Babies for Imaginative Play
With the arrival of baby number 3 in our family, my kids have loved playing "family" with stuffed animals and dolls. Although I've given her my favorite dolls from my childhood, Strawberry most enjoys her Melissa & Doug Jenna - 12" Doll
Strawberry keeps her baby doll in a small wooden crib that my father made for my doll when I was young. If you don't have your own family heirloom, the Badger Basket White Doll Crib
Strawberry also enjoys her Sofia Toddler Doll
Lower cost alternative: Use real baby accessories, like newborn-sized diapers or a small umbrella stroller, to enjoy imaginative play.
Best Dress Up Toys for Imaginative Play
Halloween has just passed, and this is always a fun time because it means we have added to our costume box! Raisin and Strawberry both enjoy dressing up all year long. Some of the favorite outfits include the Imaginarium Firefighter Dress Up Set
Lower cost DIY alternative: Make your own costumes from old shirts or purchase only the accessories or hats.
Best Kitchen and Food Imaginative Play Toys
The best imagination play in our house has to be related to our pretend kitchen. My son loves to cook, and now that he's old enough, he helps me out in the kitchen frequently. He's been "playing kitchen" for years, though! Now Strawberry has joined him in the playroom kitchen.
I love the Little Tikes Get Out n' Grill Kitchen Set
But while we have a smaller sized kitchen play unit, we do have a large number of food items for play, including the Melissa & Doug Food Groups
Lower cost DIY alternative: Save empty containers, such as mini-cereal boxes, for imaginary play. Or, cut food out of felt in the desired shapes.
Best Toys to Encourage Creative Play with Little People and Cars
Small people, cars, and houses or buildings also provide a different place for imagination, this time in a miniature community setting. We love the Fisher-Price Little People All Around Car
Along with Little people, we also love playing with Matchbox cars
Lower cost DIY alternatives: Make your own little people out of clothespins or make buildings out of blocks and cardboard boxes.
Other Gift Ideas for a Creative Child
- Play-Doh 24-Pack of Colors (Frustration Free Packaging)
provides hours of entertainment. Buy it or make it. A Play-Doh Fun Factory
aids the imagination!
- Reading a favorite book and coloring a picture to go with it helps kids retell a familiar story. See if they can add to it!
- Give your child a book that encourages them to tell their own story. I love to hear what my child is imagining!
It is important to encourage imagination. I hope these gift ideas will help you decide what to get your kids to help them in their open-ended imagination play!
