Westfield Shopping Centre, London
Kids can enter a winter wonderland at the Santa’s grotto at Westfield Shopping Centre over Christmas 2009, when the popular Wish Kingdom returns once more. With amazing colour displays and 3D special effects, the Santa’s grotto at Westfield offers an unusual festive family experience that’s bound to be popular with kids. Santa’s Wish Kingdom can be found in the Atrium of the shopping centre amid all the Christmas decorations, lights and Swiss chalets. As if coming face to face with Father Christmas himself isn’t enough, the Santa’s grotto at Westfield also features reindeers, elves and a wish finder fairy. Children can make and catch their own wishes at the grotto, and discover more about the world of The Reindeer that Couldn’t Fly.
When? 14th November 2009 to 23rd December 2009
How much? Free
How to book: http://uk.westfield.com/london
Canary Wharf, London
This Santa’s grotto is packed with activities. Kids can take part in events all over Canary Wharf. Visit the Grotto at Jubilee Place Mall, try out a craft workshop, watch the roaming entertainers or get their face painted.
When? December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 & 20 from 11am – 5pm. Just the grotto will be open on December 24 from 10am-4pm.
How much? £1 for a visit to the grotto, all proceeds go to charity.
How to book: www.mycanarywharf.com
Selfridges, London
Hop on the Santa Express and visit Santa’s grotto – proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Book early – tickets are going fast!
When? November 21 – December 24
How much? £2 per ticket (adults and children)
How to book: www.selfridges.com
Harrods, London
Children and parents can meet Father Christmas and tell him what they’d like this Christmas. Each child will leave with an exclusive book based on the original Wizard of Oz story and parents will have the opportunity to buy a photo.
When? November 7 – December 24
How much? Tickets are free, but you do need to book
How to book: www.harrods.com
Hamleys, London
Santa will be serving breakfast for children, telling stories of Lapland and each child will get to talk to him and come away with a goody bag.
When? November 30 – December 24 at 9.30am
How much? £35
How to book: Call 0800 2802 444
Are you organising a Santa’s grotto? Email at info@greenkiddie.co.uk and we will add your listing for free!
December 2, 2009
Through play, children learn the skills and knowledge needed for life; imaginative play encourages the toddler to use their mind and creative potential.
Children can be taught to have the skills and knowledge to deal with life’s challenges and to solve problems creatively through being encouraged to be active in play that involves creativity, learning, investigation and discovery.
There’s a saying “Give a person a fish and they eat for a day. Teach a person to fish and they eat for a lifetime.”
Imaginative Play
Play that is imaginative and creative will help the toddler to use their mind to find solutions to problems. One of the most important parts of imaginative play is for the child to pretend to be someone else or in different situations.
This type of play helps promote a toddler’s learning through using role play to develop their imagination. They will also be developing their emotional and social skills, sharing skills, manipulative skills, language and communication skills through this type of play. Not only this but it helps a child build on his or her self confidence and feelings of security.
Kids Play and Imagination
Through imaginative play, a child might run around, pretending he or she is a horse or a dog, an aeroplane or a train. At 3-4 years, they often do this on their own. At other times, an adult could encourage imaginative play so the child might explore new situations and fantasy worlds. This will help the child to explore their feelings and the world around them in a safe, supervised environment.
Children at this age are at Piaget’s preoperational stage. During the years from 2 to 6 Piaget saw the evidence of symbol use in many aspects of child’s behaviour. Children this age beginning to pretend in their play for example at age 2 or 3 or 4 a broom may become a horse, or a block may become a train.
Imaginative play, through building towers out of bocks, talking to and feeding their dolls, making tea with the tea set and dressing in grown-up clothes is important and should never be classed as trivial… Neither should soft toys or dolls be rejected as inappropriate for any age of either sex.
Examples of Imaginative Play Activities
Ask the children to make a pirate ship out of large cardboard boxes. They might make telescopes or binoculars out of kitchen tubes and a flag for their boat out of newspaper. Hats could be made and painted for them to wear while they’re at sea in their imaginary boat. How does this kind of play help in a child’s learning? As the children play with each other, they will be using their communication and language skills.
August 31, 2009
