January is International Creativity Month - the perfect time to consider the Making It Up method of connecting with kids that allows adults to effortlessly tap into creativity to strengthen their relationships.
Drawing on his experiences as an educator, theatre teacher, improvisation coach, and stay-at-home dad, writer Christopher Mannino takes proven techniques from improv and method acting and—for the first time—applies them to parenting to foster engaged connection, stimulate and facilitate creative fun, and keep everyone’s emotions regulated.
Making It Up: A Revolutionary Way to Bond with Kids Through Play (Familius, January 6, 2026) "makes a convincing case that engaging in imaginative play with kids is an essential way for parents to combat stress and bond as a family,” says Publishers Weekly. Calling it "refreshing, exuberant, and levelheaded,” Foreword Reviews says “Making It Up is a delightful, accessible parenting guide with recommendations for incorporating creativity, respect, and wonder into playtime."
I had a chance to learn more in this interview.
1. What makes imaginative play such a powerful tool?
Imaginative, spontaneous play is the cornerstone of the Making it Up Method. This type of play allows you to engage with children by accepting their ideas, acknowledging their creativity, and then building collaboratively with them. Imaginative play is a deeply powerful tool because it forces adults to be vulnerable, present, attentive, and creative all at once. The adult valdates, engages with, and builds upon their kids' ideas, fostering truly deep connection.
2. How can only 10 minutes a day of ‘Making It Up’ make a difference–in as little as 2 weeks?
Because Making it Up is so intense, these playtimes can be transformative, especially for adults who have not tried this method before. Ten minutes a day with no other interruptions, focused solely on your kid as you build, imagine, and create a storytime together creates and strengthens a bond between parent and kid. 10 minutes a day for two weeks is 140 minutes of intense bonding, spread among daily sessions that will transform the way you interact with kids. If the parenting style of Bluey seems amazing but impossible- try this for two weeks and you'll be shocked to find yourself parenting that way and bonding closer to your kids.
3. Why is it important to listen to and validate a child’s ideas?
Children are told "no" nearly constantly from an early age. A lot of this is for survival: "don't eat that", "don't touch that." But as kids get older and transition into socializing and school age, it's very important to recognize that you as a parent value their innermost ideas. A kid runs to you with arms outstretched saying they're flying. What do you say? "No, you're not" or "whatever" are the defaults many of us have, but by accepting that idea and joining in you're showing kids that you accept THEM and their ideas and their creativity. This is powerful, and can massively strengthen your bond with your kid.
4. How do you define engaged connection and focused attention?
Connection is engaged in Making it Up-style play when you're not doing anything else. You're not checking your phone. You don't have the TV on in the background. You're present fully. That includes emotionally as well. You're focused on the kid and what you're doing together. You aren't thinking about work or your relationships or politics or the news or anything else. It's hard- but there are techniques I teach that can help you get there and be fully present.
5.How did your background as a theatre educator impact your experience as a stay-at-home dad? How did both of those roles inform this book?
I was parenting in this style before the method had a name. As a Bluey fan, I shared with my wife an article where a woman was complaining that the parenting seen in the show was completely unrealistic, and she pointed out that the improv-based and theatre based parenting seen in Bluey might seem far fetched to most people- why don't I write a book showing how it can be done. So I did. I realized that my 20 years in theatre and over 7 years as a SAHD overlapped in my approach to parenting, and in a way that no parenting book has truly explored. I was drawing on my time as improv coach to make playtime more fun, and on my time as an actor to stay regulated, calm, and present with my kids. These approaches eventually became the two pillars of the Making it Up Method, and I think this will revolutionize the way many adults and kids connect.
6. The ‘Making It Up’ method will also be available as an online course with a set of tools designed to transform playtime. Who do you see needing that resource and why?
As a teacher, I am well aware that everyone learns in different ways, and many people need extra guidance. This technique really is different. It's not yet-another child psych book or discipline book. This is a book for anyone who wants to connect better, and while the book is a great starting point- it's not a book to read- it's a method that you need to DO to see results. I think many people will benefit most from combining the book's fun to read guide with the more lengthy and video based explanations in the self-paced course. It's going to be very different. It's going to be challenging. But it's also going to be fun. For those willing to commit that ten minutes a day to this method, your connection to your kids will strengthen, and your playtime will be changed forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment