toys, books, games and iPad/iPhone apps tested and approved by a pediatric occupational therapist and all the children she works with!
I say this a lot and you will read it throughout this post, but how I wish I knew what I know now about open-ended play when my now 11 year old daughter was younger....I would have done things so differently. While she is a truly creative kid, I think that had I encouraged more sensory and open-ended play to her at a young age, she may not be so hooked to her electronics!
Open-ended play materials encourage children to be more independent and creative thinkers, help them make choices and really foster creativity and imagination. By definition, open-ended materials do not have a pre-determined use....kids are in charge of deciding what will do with these materials. For example, a block can be a person, car, rocket ship, etc.. Children who engage in more open-ended play tend to develop wonderful problem solving skills. Sensory play is critical for development as well. Sensory