This post has been sponsored by The Manhattan Toy Company. All opinions are my own.

As parents we tend to feel burdened by the need to keep our children occupied at every moment of the day. We look for ways to encourage our children to learn, ideas to inspire their creativity, and opportunities for us to keep them busy at in every moment we have with them. In the midst of these beautiful ideas and well intentions, we forget the beauty of independent play. Independent play has this incredible ability to spark imagination, dreams, and their sense of adventure. Independent play has the power to inspire innovators right beneath our feet.

How do we encourage independent play in our children?

Imagine with them. The key to independent play? Imagination. Imagine with your child. Dream up possibilities that seem big. Inspire them to make a difference. Remember how fun playing can be when you use your imagination. Stir up that passion and imagination in your child and let them run with it.

Give them space to play independently. Read that one more time. It’s okay to give your child space and time within their day to use their imaginations for play. They don’t need constructive play all day. They don’t need you to entertain them at every moment. With everything, there is a balance. Give your children space in their day where they can dream and imagine their own play time. Give them the opportunity and see what happens.

Encourage them. Encourage the imagination in them. There are places a child can go that only imagination can take them, so let it! If you see them using their imagination, encourage it. Ask them questions, see where they go with it. Be a part of the journey their imagination takes them on.

Provide them with toys that spark their imagination. Toys that offer open ended play are some of the best investments you can make into your child. There are few toys that my children can play with that provide endless hours of entertainment. The toys that leave their minds curious and creative are the best toys that you can invest in. Manhattan Toy believes the most powerful thing any of us play with in life is our imaginations. Their goal? To bring joy to every day play. Manhattan Toy recognizes that it’s the toys that we play with that have the ability to profoundly influence our lives. It couldn’t be more true.

It’s with toys that a child can become a Doctor, a Superhero, a Mom, a Construction worker, and much more. It’s within toys that dreams to build businesses, teach children, and make a difference are all birthed. Every dream starts somewhere. Every dream is planted with a seed that began somewhere. In a child, it begins with their imagination. Independent play is the best way to ignite the imagination that is within your child. I believe it’s so important.

So does Manhattan Toy.

“The little company called Manhattan Toy recognizes that we are profoundly influenced by the toys we play with. That in every little pair of hands lies not a marketing opportunity, but a chance to positively affect the future. That having a sense of humor means the difference between enduring life, and enjoying it. If it doesn’t contain a wink and smile, it isn’t worth making. We remember every day that every invention on this earth was dreamed into existence. We remember that the most powerful thing any of us play with in this life is our imagination.”

Manhattan Toy offers toys with open ended play. Their MiO collection is natural wood construction with hand-painted features. It’s absolutely perfect for little hands and offers endless opportunities for their imagination to sore. Each detail is beautifully handcrafted that you can tell it has been made with such care. The Treetop adventure is perfect for the little ones in your life offering endless hours of possibilities. With four different quadrant areas it is packed full of various activities to encourage developmental skills in your baby.

Encourage your child’s imagination.

Let your children imagine. Let your children have the opportunity to dream. It’s in those moments that they become much more. It’s in those moments that they set out on the greatest adventure – a step towards their future.

If you’re looking for some great gifts to inspire your child’s imagination, be sure to put Manhattan Toy on your Christmas list.