The Best Christmas Present Might Be a Cardboard Box

As Christmas (Kirihimete) approaches, it can be tempting to think about all the things we need to buy to keep our tamariki happy and entertained over the summer holidays.

But what if one of the best presents doesn't come from a toy shop at all?

What if it comes in the form of a cardboard box?

For young children, the possibilities of an ordinary box can be far more exciting than the expensive toy that arrived inside it. A box can become a house, a boat, a rocket, a shop, a bed for a teddy or almost anything else a child's imagination can dream up.

And that's the beauty of open-ended play.

Tamariki Don't Always Need More Toys

Open-ended play is play without one predetermined outcome. Instead of showing children exactly what something is supposed to be or how it should be used, we give them the freedom to decide.

A cardboard box doesn't tell a child what to do.

It might become a car one day and a dinosaur cave the next.

A collection of stones might become ingredients for an imaginary kitchen. Sticks might become magic wands. A blanket might become a tent. A pile of leaves might become dinner for a family of imaginary animals.

The possibilities come from the child.

This kind of play encourages tamariki to experiment, imagine, problem-solve and develop their own ideas.

Christmas Packaging can Become Play Materials

The festive season can provide an abundance of interesting materials for tamariki to explore.

Before throwing everything into the recycling bin, consider whether some of it could become part of your child's play.

Think:

·      Cardboard boxes for building

·      Wrapping paper for tearing, folding and collage

·      Cardboard tubes for construction

·      Ribbons for imaginative play

·      Paper bags for pretend shopping

·      Boxes and containers for creating shops, kitchens or houses

·      Pinecones, leaves and sticks for nature-based creations

You don't need to turn these materials into a Pinterest-worthy craft project.

In fact, you may get more value from simply putting the materials out and seeing what your child does with them.

Let Children Lead

One of the wonderful things about open-ended play is that adults don't need to have all the answers.

If your child starts turning a box into a spaceship, you don't need to show them how to build it.

Instead, you might ask:

“Where is your spaceship going?”

Or simply sit nearby and see where their ideas take them.

Perhaps the box becomes a spaceship, then a supermarket, then a home for a family of bears.

There is no wrong direction.

Following a child's ideas rather than directing the play gives them the opportunity to make decisions, test possibilities and take ownership of their learning.

Take the Play Outdoors

The summer holidays also provide plenty of opportunities to combine open-ended play with the natural world.

Take a box outside and see what happens.

Add leaves, sticks, stones or flowers. Build a small shelter. Create a pretend garden. Make a mud kitchen. Collect interesting natural treasures.

Nature doesn't need to be turned into a formal activity. Children can simply explore, combine materials and invent their own games.

When we give tamariki time, space and interesting things to investigate, their natural curiosity often does the rest.

Maybe the Best Gift is Time

At Christmas, it's easy to get caught up in how many presents are under the tree.

But for young children, one of the most valuable gifts we can give them is something that doesn't come wrapped at all: time to play.

Time to experiment.

Time to make a mess.

Time to change their minds.

Time to follow an idea wherever it leads.

Time to turn a cardboard box into something completely unexpected.

So this Kirihimete, don't be too quick to recycle the packaging. Put the box aside, step back and see what your child comes up with.

You might just discover that the best present wasn't the thing inside the box after all.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be celebrating the magic of Christmas with our tamariki at Three Trees Learning Centre, so be sure to follow us on Facebook and stay tuned to see what they’re discovering, creating and getting up to as we count down to Christmas!