Imagination Makes a Comeback: Toys That Encourage Creativity

Once upon a time, you could hand an 8-year-old just about any ordinary object—a bottle, an old shirt, a spool of yarn—and in about six minutes flat, that child could create a makeshift toy amid an entire make-believe world. This year’s fair ushers in a renaissance of creativity-inspiring toys—playthings that awaken children’s sense of originality, innovation, and curiosity.

Take Faber-Castell’s Creativity for Kids line. The company has introduced several new DIY kits—starting with Tiki Girl Jewelry ($18.50), a set that includes wooden and coconut beads for designing bracelets and necklaces. Then to store their new wares, children can design their own Mosaic Jewelry Box ($19.99, also from Faber-Castell) using more than 300 vibrantly-colored acrylic tiles and glitter grout to decorate a plain white jewelry box, and then transform it into a sparkling masterpiece. And if you’re into things that sparkle, Crayola is the can’t-miss, no-mess destination for all things glittery and colorful. In fact, Crayola’s Color Wonder Magic Brush took home a Toy of the Year award as the best activity toy.

While we’re on the topic of girls’ play, skedaddle over to the KidKraft website to have a look at the tri-level, solidly-constructed Georgia Peach Dollhouse which includes 13 pieces of masterfully-designed furniture and can accommodate dolls that are up to 11.5 inches tall (Photo: Bonnie Biess, AOL). At $145, it’s certainly pricey—but before you ban it from your shopping list, consider that it could provide your little one with years of exactly the kind of playtime that engages the brain’s imagination center. One more thing: The wooden exterior makes this dollhouse oh-so retro—which means you just might have to resist the temptation to elbow your daughter out of the way so that you can play, too.

Got an American Idol junkie on your hands? Steer the child toward Acting Out Musical Dress-Up, which has won 14 national toy awards. Every outfit—from the hula skirt to the petticoat ($44)—comes with a musical device hidden in its front pocket. Songs include the Hokey Pokey, You Are MY Sunshine, and even Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. Two intrepid mompreneurs from New Jersey began the company five years ago, after watching their daughters dress up as princesses and dance around the house. That observation was followed by their ah-ha to just add music. PS: Boys can get in on the fun, too, with the Reversible Musical Adventure Cape ($32), which features a pirate design.

Jewelry, dollhouses, even outfits that sing—what more could a kid want? Perhaps more pals, play dates, and ice cream than they could ever dream up.