Child's Play - The Teddy Bears Picnic - Ideas For Creative Play

Creative play is such an important part of child development. It is important for children to participate in pretend play or make-believe activities. This develops abstract thinking, negotiating skills, communication skills and a wide variety of necessary skills your child will need in later years. It is also a way for children to problem solve and practice social situations so they are comfortable when faced with the "real" challenges.

One favorite creative play activity I used to do when my children were little was the Teddy Bear Picnic. What child does not love a picnic? They see this as a special treat to have their meal in a different setting than usual. I used to spread a blanket in the middle of the living room floor. This was special to them because meals in my house were always at the dinner table.

One day per week, I would make sure I made finger foods for lunch that would lend well to the picnic theme. I had a little picnic basket just for this activity but that isn't really necessary if you are having your picnic indoors. This is how I used to do it:

• Have your little ones help with planning the picnic meal. Little sandwiches cut into fingers or shapes are usually a big hit for picnic day. Fruit cut into bite sized pieces and maybe a cookie or two. It doesn't have to be elaborate, just anything that lends well to eating while sitting on a blanket.


• While you are preparing the meal, start the pretend process. Ask them where they would like to pretend to have their picnic today. You can pretend to be in the forest, at the park, or anywhere they can imagine.


• Once the meal is prepared, set it aside and have your little ones help create the scene. Spread a blanket out on the floor and get them to imagine the scenery. For example, you might place a stool to the side of the blanket and tell them to pretend that is a tree. Ask them, What else do we need in the forest? You will be surprised and how creative they can get.



• Now get a little chair for each of you and line them up. Sit on the chair and you can pretend you are driving to the picnic or pretend the chairs are bicycles and pedal your way there.(great physical activity too) Or it could be a boat and you row your way there.


• Now you want to invite people or critters or super heros to your picnic. Tell them to go to their toybox and find a friend to invite to their picnic.


• When they bring their imaginary friend to the picnic, ask them to introduce their friend to you and tell you a little about the friend. This will get some wild stories going.


• Now sit on the blanket and enjoy your picnic meal while pretending to observe the scenery.


• When you are finished your meal, pack everything up, tell your children to take their friends back home(to the toy box). Jump back on your bicycles, row boat or car and go back home.

Teddy Bear Picnic day was always the favorite day of the week for my children. It was a great deal of fun for me too to hear all of the stories they would come up with during our creative play time. Every week was a new adventure. My children learned how to plan events, take turns and negotiate on where the adventure would be held all through the fun of creative play.