I love my kids, but I would rather do chores than the pretend play where you get out the farm animals or dolls and make them talk to each other. And y’all know how much I hate cleaning!
I want you to know that you’re not a bad mom if you don’t get down on the floor and pretend play with your kids.
[bctt tweet=”You’re not a bad mom if you don’t get down on the floor and pretend play with your kids.” username=”corkboardblog”]
There are actually six play personalities defined by Stuart Brown who wrote Play: How it Shapes the brain, opens the imagination, and invigorates the soul.*
The Joker
This person enjoys nonsense and making others laugh. He is often the class clown. Children who are jokers will respond well to playful engagement.
Activity to try: laughing
The Kinesthete
A kinesthete feel the happiest when he is moving. He may also need to move to learn.
Activity to try: playing sports
The Explorer
Whether it be physical, emotional, or mental, an explorer thrives on new experiences. Try engaging all of the senses when guiding an explorer.
Activity to try: going on trips, reading books, collecting
The Competitor
This play personality never does anything “just for fun.” She is out to win and can turn anything into a competition. Gamifying tasks works well for this play personality.
Activity to try: playing board games
The Artist/Creator
The artist/creator’s goal is to make something beautiful–either from scratch or as a restoration. Provide a steady stream of materials for projects to keep the artist/creator busy.
Activity to try: exploring crafts, collecting
The Storyteller
No matter what a storyteller is doing, she uses imagination to increase enjoyment. Learning through stories and parables will keep education fun for a storyteller.
Activity to try: reading and writing stories, imaginative play
Which one or two do you most resonate with? Which one or two do you think your kids most resonate with?
*affiliate link
