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Imagine Box create 5 types of Heuristic and Educational play boxes for 0-5 year olds.
They are handcrafted wooden boxes made in NZ with objects that are a mixture of natural and man-made items.
These play boxes come with a unique activity book with instructions on how to set up heuristic play and a resource of activities that are linked to the ECE Curriculum - Te Whariki.
Imagine Box heuristic & educational play boxes
At Imagine Box my aim is to encourage imagination, free play and to make available natural and creative toys.
I strongly advocate letting kids explore things in an unstructured free play environment in their own time.
Imagine boxes
Imagine Boxes are for Early Childhood Educators and Parents of 0-5yrs olds.
My treasure boxes have a mixture of natural and man-made products and is an original kiwi ECE resource full of play ideas.
Each wooden box is original, hand crafted in New Zealand and instantly loved by anyone that picks them up.
Each box has the Imagine Box logo and 20 specific words laser engraved onto the lid and sides.
There are 5 types of boxes to choose from:
- Mixed Age Box - $90
- Young Child - $120
- Toddler - $120
- Infant - $120
- Build your own - $50-$60
Activity booklets
The Imagine Box point of difference from other companies is the Activity booklets that have been created from scratch and takes heuristic play to the next level.
I have looked at the different developmental stages of children and chose heuristic play items that fit with what the child is into at that stage.
I went thru the ECE Curriculum and created activities that use these items and explore the concepts at that developmental age.
The booklets arm you with the words and knowledge to foster your/your child’s instinct to explore and play.
The activity book that comes with each box has instructions on how to set up a heuristic play environment and activities that are based on the contents of the box and the Early Childhood Curriculum 2017 – Te Whairiki.
It is a mixture of heuristic play and some adult lead child discovery and exploration.
Activity booklets are available pre-printed or in a digital form.
Imagine Box range
The Imagine Box range includes:
The Infant Imagine Box
The Infant Imagine Box is for 0yrs
– 1 1/2yrs and is about exploring different items of texture and colour and encouraging infant play by having fun with the contents.
The key concepts for the infant box are; predictable, dependable, help, encouragement, individual, regular time to play with the box, familiar activities and then gradually new activities and things, unhurried with an adult, variety in play spaces and surface – smooth, floor, grass, carpet, indoor and outdoor.
The Toddler Imagine Box
The Toddler Imagine Box is for 1yr – 3yrs olds and is about experimenting with the different items to see what they are like and can do. We encourage toddler play to be as exploratory as the child chooses, if they want to bang a box or hide quietly then that’s ok.
The Key Concepts for this Imagine Box are; independent with support, limited choice, resolve conflict – support for conflict and frustration, small group activities – solitary and parallel play, toddler lead and adult led, repetition and spontaneous activities, let them ask for help, active exploration with support.
The Young Child Imagine Box
The Young Child Imagine Box is for 2 1/2yrs – 5yrs about experimenting on a deeper level with gravity and force to see what actions cause what outcome.
The Key Concepts for this Imagine Box are; Predictable with moderate surprise and uncertainty, ideas and questions, pretend play, watching and imitating, practice storytelling, sharing and taking turns, fun cooperative activities, fairness, justice, into new social skills, others feelings and attitudes are understood, early maths concepts, creative events over a few days, humour and jokes, talk about play and develop reflective skills, gross and fine motor skills, purposeful problem solving, give reason for choice and argue logically, explore changing things hot/cold, wet/dry, soft/hard, explore movements of objects, spatial awareness.
New products
In April 2019 I launched some new products on my website that are created by me. These products add to my mixed age box that was my first product I created.
1. 3 age specific boxes $120 each + postage – infant, toddler and young child. Each box has had items chosen that link to a child’s developmental stages and a booklet that has activities linked to the ECE Curriculum 2017.
2. Build your own Imagine Box package includes - 1 box, 1 activity booklet of your choice and instructions on how and what to collect to go into your box. $50 Mixed Age $60 Age Specific + postage.
3. Activity booklets x 5. You can buy them pre-printed + postage or a digital version.; mixed age, infant, toddler, young child, DIY learning activities at home.
4. Hire demo Imagine Panels for $40 p/wk. with a $10 set up and take down fee option available in Christchurch only.
5. Box only $35 + postage
Imagine Panels
My Imagine Panels I created from current market research and by noticing a gap in the market in NZ for natural and interactive play panels with a kiwi theme.
There was very positive feedback of my Demo from adults and children. Each panel has strong educational value about the environment and personal growth.
Getting back to nature
There is an uprising of getting back to nature, environmentalism, outdoor education and my products support these outcomes. The world is full of too much plastic when there are so many natural products that are sustainable.
I also think there is a need for free outdoor play to offset and compliment the digital world we live in, children need to experience what it’s like to make mud pies, run in the rain, have fun on an imagined pirate ship or freely explore mountain, bush, river or beach.
We are so lucky in NZ now, but if we don’t use our money and the power this gives each one of us to take environmental action in a positive way. We are already seeing negative effects like not been able to swim in your local river.
Every one of us has the power to make change to support our clean green NZ. Take action and put your money where you want us to be in the future.
Contact Imagine Box
To find out more about Imagine Box and to shop online visit our website
www.imaginebox.co.nz.
