Why be a dinosaur or a fairy at gymnastics anyway? Pretend play and development go hand in hand. Pretend play or role playing is a vital part of children’s learning. It develops abstract thought, language & mathematical concepts and allows children to explore relationships.  Most importantly, it provides an opportunity for children to explore who they are and what they can be in their world, in a safe, playful way. Being a big, stomping, scary dinosaur – even for just a class or two – allows children to explore what it feels like to be strong, loud and powerful! At Jnr Gym Kids we give children a little purposeful nudge on how to use that energy and direct it into their movement. By using our Jnr Gym Kids Themes, we can create hooks for the skills we are teaching.  Themes help unleash children’s imaginations. Imaginative play is more than just lots of fun; children learn through expressing their imagination (read more here about how useful themes are for kids learning!) “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” Early childhood education incorporates play into curriculum, however Doris Bergen, a professor of educational psychology notes “the increasing emphasis on accountability has led to a corresponding decline in the general understanding of the important contribution high-quality play - especially pretend play - can make to children's cognitive development in the early years” (Bergen & Coscia, 2001). Pretend play encourages social development and allows children to view the world from different perspectives.  It is preparing them for life as an adult and for real life situations as they practice decision making and negotiation.  It’s also lots of fun… So let them play! Just another great reason to move, learn and grown with Delta Jnr Gym Kids!  For more great information, check out this blog: Why Play is Important