Walking through the toy aisle of a discount store, I heard this mechanical sounding phrase "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall......" I looked and it was a talking plastic mirror activated by movement. Once again, I was amazed that the toy maker had taken one more element of imagination away from a child, and somewhat 'cashing in'. The mirror was among the many crowded princess items.
I find myself in a dilemma; our granddaughter has joined the 'princess club'. In fact, I was looking for a Tinker Bell doll. Luckily, she has parents who meet princess needs, but also support her interests in trains, climbing, nature, etc..
But as we buy toys, I recommend we think what might be supplied by our child's imagination. The mirror is one item. Could a castle be made with boxes, blocks and other 'found' materials?
The magic of fairy tales supports children's growth of imagination. The tales have been enjoyed by children since the middle ages, and recorded by the Grimm brothers. Originally, they were used to teach morality--good over evil. And now, they introduce our children to fantasy. If we supply every element for acting out or dramatizing the story, I believe we are short-changing our children of thinking for themselves, coming up with their own props.
Fairy tales offer another 'world' of enjoyment and a magic for our children.
This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.
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