Mud is Cake

The world of make-believe for children usually starts around 2 to 3 years old. Often it takes a mere suggestion, like “Pretend you are a fish swimming in the water,” or a simple prop like a Frisbee for a steering wheel and kids are off on an undersea adventure or driving a race car.

As parents, we tend to get busy with laundry, carpools, work, etc. — and escaping into the world of make-believe with our kids sounds indulgent. Our kids (well, mine do) beg us to be a part of their made-up world. I remember when I was a kid making mud pies and having tea parties in the bushes with my best friend Alison — we became queens of faraway lands or astronauts in outer space.

Now that my boys are six and play more independently, I am not invited to be part of EVERY adventure. But it’s still nice sometimes to escape the stress of having to be a grown-up and make-believe that our couch is a pirate ship or our living room is really the jungle.

Related Books
– Maurice Sendak’s Really Rosie Starring the Nutshell Kids
– Mud Is Cake by Pam Ryan and illustrated by David McPhail
– Audrey and Barbara by Janet Lawson

Reference
– The Magic of Make-Believe, Parenting Magazine, March 2004
– Making Make-Believe: Fun Props, Costumes, and Creative Play Ideas by MaryAnn F. Illustrated by Kohl, K. Whelan Dery

Prop Box
Scarves, masks, crown, blankets, cardboard box, laundry basket, chairs, clothespins, plenty of craft supplies and more…