Wet Washing Hanging on the Line

Kids like to pretend!  They like to pretend to be doctors, vets, check out operators but they most like to pretend to be a grown up.

The number of times my kids have watched me hang the washing out is too much to count but they have been there and unknowingly they are observing and watching every action and every movement.

Imaginative play washing line is so simple to put together but yet so effective for kids to pretend, engage and make sense of their world.  Practising and experimenting with the various skills they will take into adulthood.

Imaginative play is essentially children acting out the various experiences they have had or something of interest to them.  Children learn from experience: from what happens around them, from what they see, hear, smell, taste and touch.   To absorb those experiences and make sense of the world, they need to be engaged in imaginary play.

What you will need?

You will need a piece of string; we have used a skipping rope, a basket with small clothes or dolls clothing, pegs and two chairs to tie the rope between.  I found that the chairs were a good height for little people to reach.

Let’s Play 

Manipulating and pinching the pegs are great for working those fine motor skills and also eye and hand coordination by holding the clothes at the same time as watching what they are doing with the pegs.

Let’s Pretend 

I was very surprised when Miss 4 brought the washing inside and started folding it into a pile.  I had never expected this!  I have them trained well! Haha!

Let’s Learn 

This is such a great activity to incorporate singing the song Wet Washing Hanigng on the Line.

Wet washing hanging on the line,

Dries so very quickly when the weathers fine,

Along comes the wind and blow them all about

Flip, flap, flip, flap, blowing all about

Click here to download and print the lyrics: Wet Washing Hanging on the Line 

The learning benefits of imaginative play:

• It provides opportunities for children to identify with the adult world.  Practise and role play their understanding and interpretation.
• Develop social skills: practising negotiation skills, turn taking and sharing. Provides opportunities for working out problems and experimenting with solutions.
• Emotional development: Understanding and expressing their feelings through the re-enactment of certain experiences.  Taking on roles that encourage discipline and empathy.
• Encourages imagination: Children can be anyone and do anything in the pretend world.
• Develop language skills: practising listening, looking and talking.  Being spoken to and talking with other people, also developing an understanding of what is being communicated through body language such as smiles and nodding.
• I also believe that imaginative play is a great way for children to relax and unwind from their busy lives.