http://www.parenting.com/article/10-easy-ways-to-fire-your-childs-imagination-2135437310 easy ways to fire your childs imaginationAs parents, we know we should foster our children's imaginations-- but our busy lives often don't seem to have a place for creativity that isn't tied to productivity. Schools, too, don't know how to tackle the not-so-tangible subject.So how do we inspire this power in our children? Start with these fundamentals in mind.The BasicsTell stories."You don't need a beautifully illustrated book; you don't need a video," says Schwartz. "It's the one-on-one connection, the parent and the child, with the story mediating, that takes us back to the archetype of all education, of all human relationships, in which the older generation passes on the wisdom to the next generation." Storytelling may well be the cornerstone of imaginative development, and doing it well and in a variety of ways is something you can do almost every day-- even if it is only in brief moments.Make art.Paint, draw, mold, build, sculpt. Tactile experiences are important, and giving young children free rein over their work is crucial-- don't force a yellow splotch on a page to be a sun, for example.Use natural or generic materials.Keeping kids in touch with objects from nature inherently inspires their imagination. So does play with open-ended toys-- such as blocks or sand-- that have endless possibilities.Foster a sense of inner space.Parents should keep young children in particular from being overloaded by images from the media, whether it's television, movies, or computers. "We have to leave kids with enough of an inner space to create their own pictures, their own vision," says Schwartz. "What goes on too often is that we are not turning children into creators; we're turning them into consumers."ActivitiesOnce you are armed with the above tools, try these 10 activities. Consider them a stepping-stone-- you can do as many things to foster your child's imagination as your own imagination can dream up.1. Unpuppets.Gather a box of assorted household items-- a strainer, a shoe box, paper cups, a flashlight, whatever you can think of that's not sharp or fragile-- and have your child create a puppet show using these objects as the "puppets." You'll be amazed at the creatures and characters your child creates.3. Nature story.Take a paper bag and go on a walk with your child. Try to collect at least 10 nature objects, no more than one of each thing (only one leaf, and so forth). When you get home, have your child make a story from the objects by reaching in the bag and pulling out items one by one for inspiration.4. Big box.You know the cliche about how a child gets a large toy for a birthday and ends up playing only with the box? Do your child the favor of skipping the toy and go straight for the box. Find a local appliance store, or buy a large, wardrobe-sized box from a moving-supply store. Set the box up in an open area in your house and let your child decide what he wants it to be-- a house, a cave, a time capsule. Provide heavy-duty markers for decoration and help your child cut windows or other shapes if he wants them.8. Brush-less painting.Anyone can paint with a brush. For this activity, find things around the house that your child can paint with that aren't brushes. String will work, or odd bits of sponge, broken pencils, rubber bands, strips of yarn or fabric, apples cut in half, or even a discarded action figure or doll. Spread some newspaper on a table or the floor, lay some washable paint out in small bowls or plates, give your child a large sheet of paper (at least 18 by 24 inches), and see what develops.9. Reinventing the solar system.The names we use for the planets come from ancient times and relate the visible behavior of the planets in the sky to the legends and stories about the gods for whom they were named. Give your child the opportunity to rename the planets according to some other scheme. What would she name the planets if she had the chance? And why?--------------------------------------------------------------