Invitation to play

What does "invitation to play" mean?

Have you ever heard of the term “invitation to play”?

An "invitation to play" is literally an invitation to children to play with certain toys or materials. You put toys out, in an inviting way, so that children want to play with them as soon as they see them. This way of playing has its origins in Waldorf, Reggio and Montessori education.

The benefits

Setting up an “invitation to play” offers several benefits for children.

1. Get to the game faster and easier
   When an "invitation to play" is ready, children are immediately invited to participate in the game. The attractiveness and arrangement of the materials attract their attention and arouse their curiosity, which makes them get involved in the game faster. They no longer have to think about where to start or which materials to use. This reduces any thresholds and indecisiveness, so that children can start playing faster and more easily.

2. Stimulates independence
   An "invitation to play" gives children the freedom and confidence to play independently. By providing materials and creating an attractive play environment, children are encouraged to explore their own ideas and shape their own play.

3. Promotes imagination and creativity
   Setting up specific materials and settings in an "invitation to play" can stimulate children's imagination and creativity. It challenges them to think of new ways to play with the materials, create characters, invent stories and build their own play worlds.

4. Supports focus and concentration
   By providing a specific play setup, an “invitation to play” helps children focus on a particular game or aspect of learning. It minimizes distractions and creates an environment conducive to deeper engagement and focus.

5. Stimulates research and discovery
   Setting up an inviting play setup encourages children to explore, discover and experiment. They can discover new properties of materials, solve problems and expand their knowledge and understanding through hands-on play.

How do you prepare an "invitation to play"?

An effective "invitation to play" requires thoughtful preparation. Here are some steps you can follow:

1. Choose a theme or goal
   Think about what you want to stimulate in your child. Do you want to develop their fine motor skills? Or stimulate their imagination? Choose materials that fit the purpose, such as natural materials, craft supplies, building blocks or role play attributes.
2. Keep it simple
   Too many options can be overwhelming. Choose a few carefully selected materials and present them in an organized way. A tray, a small table or a play mat can help create a defined play space.
3. Create an inviting setup
   The way you arrange the materials can make all the difference. Arrange them in an orderly and attractive way, for example in a basket, on a nice shelf or in a circular arrangement, but destructured. So you place rings from a sorting tree next to it, and not on the sorting tree. This arouses curiosity and invites exploration.
4. Use different textures and materials
   Children are stimulated by variation. For example, combine natural materials such as wood and shells with play clay or fabrics to create a rich play experience.
5. Play on your child's interests
   Do you notice that your child is currently fascinated by animals, vehicles or building? Adjust your "invitation to play" accordingly. This increases the chance that your child will feel addressed directly.
6. Leave the game open-ended
   Avoid strict instructions. A good invitation to play has no set rules or predetermined end result. Let your child use the materials in his or her own way.
7. Observe and participate if necessary
   Sometimes it helps to play along for a while in the beginning to get your child started. But be cautious and let them discover and develop their own play.

With these steps you will create an inspiring play environment that increases your child's imagination, independence and enjoyment of playing!

So if your child gets stuck with playing and is unable to play independently, then setting up an "invitation to play" is the solution.