We've gotten a bit stuck on one of our RDI objectives. We're supposed to be practising making imaginary stuff up without referring to anything around us.

I tried to do it a number of times. I would say, "Wow - I'm thinking about if something amazing happened outside and a dragon flew by," and then wait for a response.

Bright Eyes was vaguely interested, but his contributions to the scenario usually revolved around scripts. He would add something like, "Yes, and then he could go with Brum to the Big Town."

Our consultant is taking us back a step. We're now just going to do things like look at ink blots and see what we think they look like. Or go look at clouds and find shapes in them.

I did a bit of research on imagination and found that all the childhood experts say that imagination is crucial in development, in thinking creatively and flexibly, in social interaction and in basically every area of life.

So... no giving up on this one. I found this site which had these ideas for developing a two year old's imagination, which is probably about the stage Bright Eyes is at.

 

1. Music and Imagination

Listen to a classical song with your child. Close your eyes together and ask your child to use her imagination to create a story in her mind to go along with the music. 

2. Art and Imagination

Dress your child in a smock and give him a safe place to paint, where he can really get into creating without you worrying about the mess. Now encourage him to use lots of colours! Rather than instructing him on how to make his pictures "look more accurate", praise him for his use of colour and form, however abstract his work looks. 

3. Child's Play

Imagination takes over when a child is at play, so when she talks to you about her games encourage wild imagination and thinking instead of bringing her down to earth with comments about "that's not real" or "you can't actually do that".

4. Play the Cloud Imagination Game

On a warm summer's day, what better way to stimulate your child's imagination and get some nice time out than to lie on your back with him in the garden or a field, watch the clouds passing by and share with your child what your respective imaginations are inventing for you to see in each strangely shaped cloud!