The Power of Imaginative Play: Nurturing Your Child’s Creativity

If you have heard that the rules around mobile phones and electronic devices in early childhood settings have changed, you are right. If your child attends a childcare centre in NSW, these changes are already in effect.

Here is a plain-English breakdown of what changed, why it happened, and what it means for your family.

Why Did the Laws Change?

The changes were introduced as a child safety measure. In 2025, Australia’s Education Ministers agreed to amend the Education and Care Services National Law to address concerns about the potential for personal devices to be used to capture, store, or transmit images of children in care without authorisation.

The intent is straightforward: children in early learning settings deserve an environment where their privacy and safety are actively protected.

What Changed Nationally

From 27 February 2026, amendments to the national Education and Care Services National Law took effect across Australia. Under these changes, educators and staff who work directly with children are restricted from using personal electronic devices in care settings.

Before this, from 1 September 2025, all early childhood education and care services nationwide were required to have written policies in place addressing the use of digital devices.

What Changed in NSW

NSW moved ahead of the national timeline. The Education and Care Services (Supply, Authorisation and Use of Devices) Order 2025 took effect on 6 November 2025, applying across NSW’s 6,000 or more early learning services, including long day care centres, preschools, and family day care.

Under this order, educators and staff must use service-issued or service-authorised devices rather than their own personal devices when working directly with children.

What Counts as a Personal Device?

The definition is broad. A personal device is any device owned by an individual (not the approved provider) that is capable of capturing, storing, or transmitting an image. This includes:

Mobile phones
Smartwatches
Cameras and tablets
iPads and laptops
Hard drives, USB drives, and memory cards
Wearables such as camera glasses

Who Does the Ban Apply To?

The restrictions apply to anyone working directly with children at a service, including permanent and casual educators, students on placement, volunteers, contractors, and allied health professionals delivering programs on-site.

Parents, carers, and other visitors are not covered by the ban. In NSW, parents and carers remain free to use their personal devices during drop-off, pick-up, centre visits, and events involving their own children. There are also authorised exceptions for essential purposes, including emergencies and health or disability support needs.

What About Screen Time for Children?

These new laws specifically address staff device use, not children’s screen time. Screen time limits for young children are not mandated within childcare regulation at a national level.

The relevant guidance comes from the federal Department of Health and Aged Care’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, which recommend no screen time for children under 2 years, and no more than 1 hour per day for children aged 2 to 5 years. These are health guidelines, not regulatory requirements.

What This Means for Your Family

If your child attends a childcare centre in NSW, their service is already required to operate under these rules. Any educator or staff member working directly with your child should not be using a personal device to take photos or videos. Only service-authorised devices should be used for that purpose.

If you have questions about how your centre handles digital devices or image capture, you are well within your rights to ask. Most services will have a written policy in place that covers exactly this.

At Clovel, the safety and wellbeing of every child in our care is at the heart of everything we do. If you would like to know more about how we support your child across our centres, we would love to have that conversation with you.

It is no secret that we at Clovel are shameless cheerleaders for imaginative play throughout childhood. The incredible significance of this type of roleplaying in the lives of preschool-aged children cannot be understated. Imaginative play not only brings joy and fun into their lives but also plays a vital role in their overall development.

Today, we want to emphasise the importance of imaginative play and provide parents and caregivers with a few valuable tips on how they can actively engage and join their children in the delightful world of pretend play.

Unlocking Boundless Creativity

Imaginative play is the gateway to a child’s boundless creativity. It is through this magical realm that children can explore, experiment, and express themselves freely. Whether they become superheroes, doctors, chefs, or princesses, imaginative play allows children to step into different roles and explore various scenarios. This imaginative adventure nurtures their creativity, fosters problem-solving skills, and stimulates both cognitive and emotional growth.

Developing Social and Emotional Skills

When children engage in pretend play with their peers or adults, they learn the art of communication, cooperation, negotiation, and empathy. Through role-playing, children can better understand different perspectives, share ideas, and work together to create imaginative scenarios. These experiences lay a strong foundation for their future interactions and relationships.

Enhancing Cognitive Abilities

Imaginative play goes hand in hand with cognitive development. When children engage in make-believe situations, they engage their minds in complex thinking processes. They plan, problem-solve, organise, and think critically, all while immersed in the world of their imagination. These cognitive skills become vital building blocks for future academic achievements.

Tips for Parents to Join the Fun

Parents play a crucial role in nurturing their child’s imaginative play. Here are a few tips to help you actively engage and join your child in the wonderful world of pretend play:

Create a Playful Environment: Set aside a dedicated space in your home for imaginative play. Fill it with dress-up clothes, props, and age-appropriate toys that encourage imaginative play. Provide craft items so your child can turn construction paper into crowns and pipe cleaners into snakes.

This will inspire your child and provide them with the necessary tools for their imaginative adventures.
Be a Willing Participant: Be open to joining your child’s imaginative play! Embrace the opportunity to step into different roles and characters and allow your child to take the lead.

Look for opportunities to ask leading questions that will help your child imagine what a pretend character is feeling…It sounds like the king you are playing lost his puppy. How might that make him feel?

Don’t be afraid to act silly, belly laugh, or pretend cry as you join your child in this sort of play. By actively participating, you show your child that their ideas and imagination are valued.
Encourage Open-Ended Play: You may have ideas for the direction of the story your child is creating, but it is important to let them lead you in play. Open-ended play allows your child to use their imagination without having any sort of goal or end game in mind.

Provide your child with open-ended toys like building blocks, art supplies, or simple objects that can be transformed into various things. These types of toys stimulate your child’s creativity and imagination, allowing them to freely explore and create their own narratives.
Immerse in Storytelling: Read stories together and encourage your child to retell or create their own versions of the story. This helps them develop language skills, expand their vocabulary, and strengthen their storytelling abilities.
Support Unstructured Playtime: Ensure your child has ample unstructured playtime without screens or structured activities. This allows them to initiate and lead their own play experiences, fostering independence, and imaginative thinking.
Don’t be Afraid to Ask Teachers: If you’re still stuck trying to figure out the best way to promote imaginative play with your child, set up an appointment with your child’s daycare or preschool teacher. They have a wealth of knowledge on the subject of play (and your child!) and will be able to offer suggestions tailored to your child’s personality.

Remember…the goal is not to direct or control your child’s imaginative play but to provide them with a nurturing environment that sparks their creativity and supports their development. By actively engaging in their play, you are fostering a strong bond with your child and creating lasting memories.

Imaginative play is a powerful tool that can unlock the immense potential within every child. By encouraging and joining your child in the world of pretend play, you are giving them the gift of creativity, social skills, and cognitive growth. So let your child’s imagination soar and get ready to embark on wonderful adventures together!

Lyn Connolly

Founder and Company Director

Lyn Connolly is the Founder and Company Director of Clovel Childcare & Early Learning Centres, a family‑owned group of eight centres across Western Sydney established from her first service at Merrylands. Active in early childhood education since 1977, she also serves as President of the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW, representing providers in state and federal consultations, media, and public hearings.