Many parents think that a child’s mid and body should be continually busy. They believe that learning only occurs when children are doing something. As a result, the tendency is to overschedule children. However, overscheduling can be counterproductive to the learning process. It doesn’t allow children time to be inventive or reflective. Just as children need periods of time for creative play, they also need time to daydream. Daydreaming is a magical experience, in which anything can happen and all things are possible. The relaxed state that occurs during daydreaming allows the brain to filter out the distractions of the moment and enter into a place of creativity, imagination, and reality. Like the blending of paint, the hows, whys, and what-ifs of the daydream swirl together creating a palette of colorful ideas.

As parents it is important for us to help our children find ways to explore their daydreams by providing them with tools to bring ideas into the real world. Give them time to ponder. Help them collect facts and gather materials for building and inventing. Let them choose their own methods. Help them evaluate their results and provide opportunities to try again. Above all, we must value the questions and believe in the possibilities.