If you believe that watching TV or playing computer games was the best way for your child to be inspired- think again.
Parenting on Female First
Children are inspired to use their imaginations when being creative, but most importantly, when building a den!
Yes, building a bedroom den could help inspire children's imagination more than watching films and playing on the computer, according to the latest research from Philips.
You may be thinking that it is such a simple and cost-effective way to keep the kids entertained that it can't be true, but many 5-10 year olds in the UK actually enjoy building dens! With 86% having created a den in their bedroom allowing them to escape and pretend to be somewhere or someone else.
Most children even prefer to build a den than to watch TV or play on a computer with 31% saying that it was more 'fun'. A further 60% of children create dens to imagine they are somewhere or somebody else.
It seems girls love the idea of being princesses too, choosing a castle as their favourite den to build (52%). But boys would rather let their imagination take them to the stars and build a pretend spaceship (43%).
Parents agree that being creative inpsires children to use their imagination, with nearly 1 in 4 saying they think a 'magical environment' is the most important element of a child's bedroom.
Yet, pandering to a child's imagination can certainly create busy parents, as 47% admit to investing more time redecorating their kids' room than any other space in their home and 31% saying that they do so every two years.
UK Children's favourite type of bedroom den to build:
- Castle- 45%
- Spaceship- 30%
- Pirate ship- 25%
- Forest/ Jungle- 22%
- Dream House- 22%
Chireal Shallow, child psychologist and sleep expert, said: "Children get more from creating their own personal worlds than being restricted to something constructed by a digital game and parents who provide a stimulating environment in their child's bedroom can be confident that they are encouraging this."
Interior designer, Carrie Cook commented: "There are many ways to transform your kid's bedroom, and light is one of the easiest and most fun to help unlock a child's imagination when den building. Light with colour can instantly create a different world, helping children interact, play and learn."