Play is the heart of childhood and imagination is the heart of play.
To be fully absorbed and completely present in the moment is the wonder of childhood.
An invitation to ‘play’, allows the child to imagine, hypothesize, test, challenge and explore concepts, values, interests and ideas through their free-play. Small world play facilitates opportunities for the child to externalise their inner world.
To nurture the whole child, we need to appreciate that children learn deeply through their play. Open-ended play in-particular provides opportunities for the child to naturally investigate and engage with the world.
When we provide inviting play spaces inside and out, where children are free to initiate and explore at their own pace, we set the intention that we value the child’s imagination and mindfulness, curiosity and creativity.
Creating a nurturing natural play space in the early years is fundamental to a natural childhood, so choose toys and materials that lend themselves to freedom in play. You will be amazed by the rich and diverse ways in which children interact, construct, imagine and engage, when the play is self-directed.
Baskets of nature collected from walks, pieces of fabric and cloth, branches and small logs, wooden blocks, animal shapes, handmade dolls/gnomes/peg dolls, cardboard boxes, all make perfect invitations for small world play adventures.
Crafting your own little projects for small world play is very satisfying and to see these little offerings come to life through a child’s play is truly heart-warming.
When young children observe us making and creating, they also observe our care and mindfulness. They see that the ‘doing’ is the ‘work’ and it is valued.
We have a fun range of craft kits to help get you started on some simple sewing and knitting projects that are also suitable for older children, see link below.
Our small world play collection provides endless opportunities for imagination and creative expression. Natural materials are at the heart of our range, providing many and varied aspects for children to explore. Handmade in small batches, the craftsmanship and natural qualities of our toys engage children without overwhelming their senses. Simple toys made for play and supporting a natural childhood.
Here are some direct links to inspire small world play at home:
