"Think left and think right and think low and think high.

Oh, the things you'll think up if only you try!"

~ Dr. Seuss

For the classroom:

The Art of Imagination

Could you have the next Frida Kahlo or Dr. Seuss in your class? Have you seen windows into your children's minds with their creative painting and storytelling? Been amazed at their level of detail or amused at the descriptions for their art? It's their imagination at work!

For young children, exercising their imagination is just as important to their development as eating healthy foods and exercising their body. It helps build their critical thinking skills and creative problem solving abilities. Even Albert Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

Play, especially with art, is a great way to encourage a young child's imagination. Look to incorporate open-ended materials in your classroom - items that "have an infinite number of uses, limited only by your child's imagination." Toy binoculars, for example, are just binoculars, but paper towel rolls can be binoculars, towers, round paintbrushes, and more.

For new creative art ideas, look to books! French author Hervé Tullet is known as "the prince of preschool books." Let's Play follows a yellow dot through the pages of colors, shapes, and also emotions. Art Workshops for Children has 11 different activity ideas that are collaborative, fun, and unexpected. Check them out at your local library!

For the home - content provided by our partner:

Toddler Imagination!

Children love to play, and even though it looks like they are just having fun, they are doing hard and important work! Imaginative play is unstructured play where kids pretend. Unlike games, imaginative play does not have specific rules or goals.

Imaginative play encourages children to practice sharing, turn-taking, and compromising. It is one of the easiest ways for young children to express feelings and work through difficult emotions to understand them better. Imaginative play allows children a safe way to express both positive and negative feelings and to test some limits with less worry of negative consequences.

Play ideas to encourage toddler imagination:

  • Make some sounds and rhythms with homemade or bought musical instruments.
  • Go outside! Clouds, trees, flowers, vehicles, bugs - are all fascinating to your toddler.
  • Set up water play. A bathtub of water with bubbles and a few plastic cups are all your toddler needs.
  • Let kids have fun and be silly! During imaginative play, try not to make too many rules or over-correct kids, as long as they are playing safely.

Wake Connections is a one-stop coordinated intake system for families in Wake County. One click gets you connected to SecurePath and other Wake Connections programs.

Recruiting for High School Class of 2033!

Will your child turn 4 by August 31, 2019?

Apply for Pre-K now! WCSS hosts events at our office and in the community from now through the end of April to walk you through the application process. One application allows your child to be considered for NC Pre-K, Head Start, and Title I, which are all FREE and prepare children for Kindergarten in a high quality classroom setting.

Click here to print the application and for more information.

Featured Book: Journey

Written & Illustrated by: Aaron Becker

Highlights: Using a red marker, a young girl draws a door on her bedroom wall and through it enters another world where she experiences many adventures, including being captured by an evil emperor.

Best for: Pre-K, ages 3-5

Wake County Public Library Programming: Telling a story by "reading" the pictures is a great way to encourage a child to use their imagination. Check out some of these wordless picture books at your local library!

Literacy Tip: Take time with your child and use your imagination to create your own wordless picture book!

March's book selected by the Preschool Librarians of Wake County Public Libraries.

Want FREE books for your child under 5? Join the Imagination Library today!

Very Hungry Caterpillar Fruit Snack

The 50th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar book is March 20th!

Celebrate this beloved book and get creative by turning the tables on the hungry caterpillar!

Visit CCSA's training calendar for all upcoming events.

Causes of Misbehavior: Why Do They Act That Way?

March 14, 6:30 - 8:30pm

CCSA Durham

Click here to register.

Emergency Preparedness & Response in Child Care

March 16, 9am - 3pm

Heather Park CDC

Click here to register.

Supervision of Young Children

March 20, 6:30 - 7:30pm

Telephone Seminar - Call-In Number

Click here to register.

ITS SIDS

March 25, 6:30 - 8:30pm

CCSA Durham

Click here to register.

Introduction to NC Foundations

March 30, 9am - 3pm

Wake County Smart Start, Room 204

Click here to register.

Emergency Preparedness & Response in Child Care

April 6, 9am - 3pm

Wake County Smart Start, Room 204

Click here to register.

Playground Safety

April 6, 9am - 1pm

Appletree CDC

Click here to register.

Not a Box Activities

Let your child's imagination go wild with just a box - that's not a box!

With some light encouragement or additional supplies from you (like markers, paint, or blocks), your child can transform a simple box into the playhouse of their dreams!

Did you know WCSS is a nonprofit and relies on support from members of our community like you? Visit our website today to see how you can make a difference for each child, in every community in Wake County.

 
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Questions? Contact us today 919-851-9550