I love to watch my kids play. The real kind of play, where no one hovers over them or makes decisions for them as they build cities, solve problems, make a mess, and create a world of their own. They may fight now and then, but given space to work things out they come to their own agreements and restore peace. They mend broken mugs and hurt feelings with a hug and a little glue. They are brave, they are superheroes, and they never fail to save my day with a smile.

My two youngest children—or, as we call them, “the littles”—often seem to be in an alliance of their own. They’re always sneaking off on their own adventures and scheming against their older siblings. Because of this I wanted create a world for my little dream team and capture their alter egos. So I rounded up the gang, grabbed the camera, and broke out our rad new toys from the  Target Avengers collection. I made a few props for an impromptu photo shoot and snapped away as my little heroes set into action. They became bigger than life in each other’s eyes.

Charlotte slipped on her Hulk Hands and instantly transformed into a mean green fighting machine (don’t let the tutu fool you). Then Noah broke out his bionic buddies, Thor and Iron Man, and together they tossed lightning bolts, lifted buildings over their heads, and used superhuman smarts to outwit the most formidable of foes… bedtime! As their mother, I must say I was pretty impressed.

I could only hold out so long before I caved in and joined their world of make-believe. I may be wrong, but I think time spent flying around an imaginary world and saving the universe from evil will serve them well in the future and help shape them into people they someday will grow up to be.

Wherever life takes them, I hope they never lose their ability to play. Whether kids or kids at heart, real superheroes know the importance of imagination, and to be honest, I think it might just be the key to saving the universe. Of course, a Captain America Star Launch Shield never hurts either.

All kiddos are heroes in our book, so we put together a printable for you and your little ones to join in the fun. Print the graphics or use them as photo overlays and strike a pose—you’ll be amazed how much power your little one has inside! Share your superhero stories using the hashtag  #AvengersAtTarget and you just might get picked for a special mission—that’s all we can say, it’s all hush-hush superhero stuff for now ;-)

Click here to download  the Avengers Superhero Graphics printable—just make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands…

At the end of the day, they were only toys, but in the littles’ imaginations, they were something much much bigger, much mightier, and much more powerful. For a few hours, they were the rulers of their own tiny universes. Saving the world can be exhausting, but that night they were able to sleep soundly knowing that thanks to them, all was right in the world.

Don’t forget to check out all the new Target Avengers gear and share your own superhero stories using the hashtag #AvengersAtTarget!

This post is sponsored by Target.