Click here to read Let’s Pretend Play to Connect through Your Child’s Imagination on Hands On As We Grow®
Get inspired by a book, movie or new experience today and then make time to do some pretend play with your kids to act out your own stories!
Amyra is a devoted mom and wife. She has a 3 year old son, Preesh, who has big energy and a wild imagination.
She tells us she has been trying to do activities with her son for quite some time. But she was getting lost in the whole process.
“Before I joined The Activity Room I was completely overwhelmed with all the options that were available, I wanted to do everything with him. And I wanted to do everything in just one day. But the next day I was like, Okay, what do I do now? And it got to a point where I just didn’t know what to do with him.”
Preesh is full of passion. Amyra wants to give him all the opportunities to grow and learn and express himself.
“With my son Preesh, I’ve always noticed that he has this energy in him which is so palpable and he is constantly wanting to do something or another. I needed to channelize that energy and that creativity, and his imagination, which runs wild with each passing day now. I really wanted to do these activities with him so that I could create new things with him every single day and he would enjoy something that sparks his imagination.”
Spark your kids imagination today with the super simple pretend play activity Amyra shares below!
Just Running in Circles
Before finding The Activity Room, Amyra struggled to do activities with her son.
“I had a couple of struggles. One was finding an activity for him that we would want to do on a particular day.”
“Second was getting the supplies for him. Because before I hadn’t planned ahead or anything, I just grabbed it when I saw it online and I wanted to do it, but I didn’t have the things for it. So I had to go around [to multiple stores] looking for those. If I didn’t find those activity supplies then I had to look for something else to do.”
“I was running in circles, trying to do an activity, finding the supplies, not getting it, try to find another one. And it just took up so much of my time and energy. By the time [I joined Room] I felt lost and it was so difficult for me to actually do an activity with him.”
What was Amyra to do? She tells us how she would resort to reading another book together, finger painting, or maybe draw something together.
But she knew she wanted more for him and was capable of more.
An Activity Every Single Day
Then she came upon The Activity Room. She did her research and joined on a month to month basis to check it out.
“One of the best things is that I am told, ‘here are your supplies.’ So quick and easy I just need to make sure that I have everything on hand with me. It was not something that I had to keep on running back and forth to find. It was so basic. I just had all this stuff with me and the few things that I needed to get were from the Dollar Tree or Target. It was so easy. So I had everything and the supplies were something which were not for a month. They just last you for so long, they’re just always there.”
After a few months of being a part of Room, Amyra and her husband knew this was right for them! They went all in with annual membership and never looked back.
Activities Brought the Family Together
“I love it because he loves it too. So that’s what it did. These activities, getting them from The Activity Room, it brought me, my kiddo, and my husband together to make memories. Like on weekends we look forward to making these memories. Even if it’s just playing a small game which is not more than 15 minutes that is any activity. It’s so worth it. And I have so many memories. We love them. My husband loves it. He looks forward to these activities.”
“For Preesh, it has channelized his energies, he loves it. He looks forward to it every day. He’s like, What are we doing today? What’s the next activity? And now he literally gets the supplies out and says okay, let’s do this.”
“So that is something which I love because he walks up to me and says Mom, I want to do this.”
And one of Preesh’s favorite things to do each, and every day is play pretend with Amyra.
Literally A Hands on Mom
We asked Amyra how The Activity Room has helped her personally. She shared with us what she feels is her biggest achievement as a mom.
“The most important thing I would say is being able to feel this sense of satisfaction of being able to be there with my son doing those activities. And it’s like literally being a hands on mom. In the sense when they’re doing activities. In that sense, I feel so hands on. I feel so committed. I feel so involved with him. So that would be my biggest achievement.”
“Because I was looking for that. To be an involved mommy and not just doing activities because you know he needs to do it. Let’s just channelize his energy. No, I want him to remember these when you look back at these fond memories. Where you can actually feel it, that yes, we were there together. We did it together. It was every moment well spent. So for me that’s what it’s done for us, literally.”
Learning Along the Way
“Along the way he teaches me a lot. Which is something new for me. I’m beginning to realize that he teaches me every single day.“
“This has been my experience, and I have learned this a little the hard way, just go with the flow. Just let them be. Just let them do what they want to do. And every single activity, we may write it #activitywin #activityfail, or you know it didn’t work out. But I personally have learned that every single activity is a win because the fact that he or she is doing it in itself is a big thing for any mommy, everybody. It’s a big thing for the kid and the parent. So I would say that for me the biggest tip has been to just go with the flow.”
“That is personally something that’s been a journey for me and it has been a learning experience to just literally let it go.”
Amyra shares her story and her heart. And she told us her journey has been a beautiful one.
“My son and I have been thriving. I would say we both as a mother and son doing these activities, we’ve been literally thriving on it. So I love it. I’m so glad we are part of this group and want to continue being a part of this group for as long as I possibly can.”
Let’s Meet Amyra
How many kids do you have and how old are they?
1 kid, 3 years and 5 months old
Why do you love doing activities with your kids?
That’s our favorite part of the day because that’s ‘our special time’ together! Both kiddo and I do different activities everyday, learning more about each other, making memories and having so much bonding & fun along the way!
How long have you been in The Activity Room?
June, 2020
What is your favorite activity you’ve done in The Activity Room?
Love them all, but my most favorite one would be the ‘pipe cleaner colander’. It was one the first activities kiddo and I did together and we loved it! It’s a favorite with him even today :)
And make sure to check out Let’s Pretend Play below! It’s another favorite for Amyra and her son!
What’s your favorite thing to do with your kids when you get a few moments?
Talking to him, because he loves making up stories or doing an activity.
What’s your best tip for doing activities with your kids?
Let him lead! Kiddo loves doing activities and then goes on to extend them with new ideas and it’s so infectious to join in and go along with it all. Well, mostly!!!
If you were to tell a friend about The Activity Room, what would you say to them?
The Activity Room has been such an enriching and inspiring experience for me, as a mom!
Before The Activity Room, a lot of times, I was so overwhelmed, stressed out at times with trying to do activities, learn new things, play around with my kiddo. I was struggling with my postpartum depression, anxiety and all…
That wasn’t helping me be with him ‘in the moment’, nor was I able to channelize his energy and enthusiasm in the right way, in a playful manner!
After joining The Activity Room, I’m more in control of myself, more prepared, in terms of doing activities, managing the supplies and preparing it all for him beforehand.
That way, I’m not stressed out as to what I’m going to do with him today or a week after!
We both thoroughly enjoy our activities together, we have made a ‘yearly box of activities’ each year and continue to do activities everyday!
Now, kiddo looks forward to activities and even asks me what I’ve planned for him next day :) His enthusiasm is so endearing and contagious!
Room has an amazing bunch of people who are so supportive, encouraging, and kind too. That helps a lot, especially when sometimes I need a prep talk or feel low! A king word here, a helpful tip, a sweet message, all of it goes a long way.
I’m very happy to be a part of the Activity Room!!!
Share your favorite quote
“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” -Mother Teresa
Let’s Play Pretend
My kiddo loves to pretend play different characters!
He’s at an age where everything he sees and hears about is so excitingly new and interesting for him.
He always has his twist to all the stories he’s read, seen, or heard. He often says, “Ma, this is my version of it!”
Our most favorite activity is Let’s Pretend Play.
Every single day, kiddo does several activities throughout the day, one of them being this one!
He plays a character and asks me to be someone too. And he makes a new story as we play along, adding different twists and turns to the plot!
The activity is very easy to do, and requires minimal or no supplies too!
What You’ll Need to Play Pretend
First off, you need your kids, yourself and lots of imagination!
Kids might wanna have some props as per the ‘character’ they choose to play at the time!
Let them decide it all and you might be pleasantly surprised when they come up with some pretty good/fun things!
For younger kids you may want to throw a few ideas out there to get the ball rolling.
Prepping for Pretend Play Time
Everyday, I ask my kiddo what he wants to pretend play that day.
And depending on the part or characters he wants us to play, I try to find the props from his playthings and the kitchen too!
Very little preparation is needed for this activity, which is why we love it the most.
Because you can pretend play anytime!
Just bring along your imagination, creativity and fun side!
Ideas for Pretend Play Inspiration
These are a few of our ideas that help get inspired for a good session of prepend play.
- Sometimes we use a floor puzzle and weave a story along based on what we see.
- Use any toys lying around the house to help move the story along.
- Read a book. And, right after it suggest acting it out and making up a new ending.
- Or, watch a movie together and after suggest continuing the story. Ask them what they think happens next and then try pretend play to act it out together.
What Does Pretend Play Look Like
We call it ‘Our Pretend Play’ activity!
My son, Preesh, is a hyperactive kid with a very creative/curious mind! His imagination runs as wild as him.
When we pretend play, he chooses the character.
Could be a character from a movie, series, book or one he makes up himself!
Then, he may/may not dress up as that character.
And he may ask me to do the same.
Maybe wear a cape (superhero), fireman hat, aprons (alchemist), take a plate and sword (knight/Captain America) etc.
Then I just follow his lead.
He weaves a story and we enact it together.
Basically, you just let the kid take the lead and go with the flow!
An Example of Our ‘Let’s Play Pretend’ Activity
The first time my son and I pretend played was a very surprising and proud moment, for me.
We played out Harry Potter and other characters, and my son played out the story for me.
He told me what to say and do, he found some props like capes, spaghetti noodles for wands and such!
I was truly impressed by his vivid imagination, story-telling and how he had nailed the small nuances by just watching the movie this one time!
He even added some twists and turns of his own to the original storyline and whenever he does that he calls out, “Ma, that’s my version of the story!”
More so, I had so much fun enacting the parts with him, speaking dialogues that he gave me which were both hilarious and interesting at the same time!
I feel it just bringing out the child in me too!
Why Pretend Play is So Beneficial
My son’s vocabulary and conversation skills are getting so much better now.
I’m so impressed with the way he picks up words and weaves them in his dialogues so appropriately!
He never ceases to amaze me with his independent thoughts, presence of mind, resourcefulness, eye for details, and storytelling skills!
One thing I have noticed every single time we play this activity is that he always changes the storyline, especially for the ‘villian’ or ‘bad guys.’
He’ll often say, ”Ma, in my version so-and-so is a villain but in the end he/she turns good, or he/she needn’t die and can just be injured and healed in the end.
I loved the he shows such empathy towards his characters, understands that people can be flawed but can heal, and wants a happy ending, always!
It very perceptive for a 3 year old to feel so, according to me!
He connects things so beautifully too, in his story versions!
My preschooler thoroughly revels in the characters he plays and the excitement is so palpable, for both my husband and I.
He also asks so many questions about things he’s seen or read, which helps him learn new concepts everyday as well!
Also, I feel it channelizes all the pent-up energy in a very creative manner.
We love doing activities together and so does hubby, when he can joins us!
Personally, my most favorite part about our ‘pretend play’ activity is to be able to play hands-on with my son, being involved in the moment with him, without any inhibitions!
We do crazy stuff, laugh so hard and even have pretend wars or battles!
Every little thing we do in this activity becomes a cherished memory!
I’m learning too!
Learning to let go, and just go with the flow.
It’s like going on an adventure, everyday with my every so curious baby!
I love his imagination and the way he improvises with the story!
It’s fun to see him so involved in it and when I join along, he’s happiest over the moon!
I feel playing out ‘let’s pretend play’ makes us bond more, learn new things and have loads of funny, crazy moments too!
Playing pretend together simply adds more to the fun we have as a family!
One More Thing from Our Member
Would definitely recommend The Activity Room to all the beautiful ladies out there, who want to really make the most of your times with your darling munchkins. You will be forever rewarded with the most precious memories for life!
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