6 ways to foster creativity in children

6 ways to foster creativity in children

Its time to nurture creativity in kids. Best ways to foster creativity in children #creativity #imagination #fostercreativity #positiveparenting #creativechild #development #lego #freeplay

How to develop Creativity in a child! 

When we hear “Creativity”, what actually pops out of our minds? Do we relate to all time great artists like Michaelangelo, Picasso or some mind boggling musicians as Madonna , Mozart or think of the fantasies of Rudyard Kipling , J.K Rowling, which made reading all the more amazing during childhood? Perhaps, we observe creativity as a very far sighted word with the belief that it is an innate quality and all of us cannot achieve that. We rather forget to see that “CREATIVITY” inside us and our kids.

Creativity is not rare, though it cannot be taught, but we can be exposed to creative surroundings to nurture that innate seed into a fully grown tree. Creativity is just like joining the dots, what vary is how we see at the dots and the environment in which we are to see them differently.

Necessity : Decline of Creativity in children!

There was a major study in 2011, which came out with the term “Creativity Crisis“. It indicated that the “creative thinking is declining over time among Americans of all ages, especially in kindergarten through third grade.” And the major impact is due to environmental changes at home, which is more influential compared to school for children. A hush hush lifestyle, more emphasis on studies and structured plays, more time to electronic gadgets, has basically led to decline in the naive creativity of a child. And, I see, that’s what, we are doing, as parents!  Efforts to encourage creativity should begin max by 2years for a child.

Dorothy Parker rightly said “Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye”!

It comes when we see things from a different angle, and children are perfect in that. If Children, right from being a preschooler are given more of experiential learning, ample opportunities to explore, an environment to delve into creative side, their innate tendencies will become more robust. They will slowly have a natural bend towards their creative, logical side.

Ways to develop Creativity & Creative Play in Children :

Apart from a well structured time of your child, build in a “Boredom time” daily for your child. Allow kids to find ways to entertain themselves, rather than leaning on parents or gadgets to amuse. A complete post is dedicated to how boredom is great to develop imagination and creativity in kids.

Drama, Dance, Music :

Often Drama, arts are considered unimportant and secondary when it comes to a child’s development. We think of getting a child enrol into cricket club rather than Drama or Story telling or Arts class. But we are unaware that these activities boost up a child’s imagination. These activities are must for cognitive, logical development of a brain, which is the basis of Creativity and Imagination”. They help kids in problem solving, critical thinking, team work. These activities allow children to think, imagine, create and then perform. And these skills when nurtured while budding, are sure to grow better, wherein a child can relate their problems in real world and find their own logical solutions. Kids who are into Drama, dance, music are more compassionate and firm thinkers.

Related Read : Importance of Drama for kids

Related Read : Importance of Music for kids

Cutting , Painting, Drawing, Craft :

Its time to nurture creativity in kids. Best ways to foster creativity in children #creativity #imagination #fostercreativity #positiveparenting #creativechild #development #lego #freeplay

This needs to be the creative start for a child, wherein cutting, drawing, crafts, all helps in their Motor development.

When my 2.5 year old started using scissor, many of my neighbours questioned on it. Cutting, use of scissor, is a great way to help advance a child’s Fine motor skills and hand eye coordination. [What we need is – be Careful and nothing else].

As kids advance in their lives, these activities furnish as a base to paint out their emotions, give an expression to their thoughts. And this expression can happen only, if children are exposed to painting, drawing, crafts from an early age. Children usually don’t have that vocabulary to illustrate their feelings. And painting is a perfect medium to help them portray their ups and downs, their thoughts and express the unexpressed. These activities strengthen the emotional skills of a child.

Related Read : How to introduce Drawing & Painting for Toddlers

Picture Reading, Story Books Reading :

This is one of the most alluring way to ignite the creative bend of a child. Since reading with beautiful picture illustrations not just promotes intellectual and cognitive skills, but also allows them to raise their imaginations and develop a beautiful world of their own. When kids club these imaginations of story reading with drawing, you can be proud of their enhanced creativity. Drawing what they read helps in better expression.

Related Read : Why is reading must for a Child

Related Read : Best Storybooks for children to read

Story telling :

I’m yet to cover the “magic of Story telling” from my experiences with my child on blog, but let me share the benefits I have felt as a mom. Though, we might not intend to tell a  story to our child, I have been story telling my son since he was 1.5years. And till date, when he is 3.5years now, I ensure to tell him one story every day, mostly before going to the bed.

The reason is simple, I loved stories when my mom used to tell me and so does every child. It helps in instilling a calmness and compassionate feel in kids. Since it helps kids to connect with the character’s, ensure that your story has some moral/value which you intend to inculcate in your child. With the required expressions and vice modulations, story telling becomes all the more interesting. It help kids in their improving their linguistic and listening skills. When kids question you of their imaginations while narrating, you can sense that their skills are broadening.

Children use these imaginative and valuable skills in their everyday lives, to imitate, re-create and enhance their horizons.

Play Dough, Kinetic Sand, Slime :

Its a fun, its a messy fun, let me be true!

According to Sally Fitzgerald, a senior therapist, providing opportunities for children to actively use their senses as they explore their world through ‘sensory play’, is crucial. It has a great role in brain development, as it helps to build nerve connections in the brain pathways.

And Play dough/ Kinetic sand are major activities which boost up this sensory play. It’s an old traditional sensory play which is very engaging, safe and a vent to creative exploration. Kids can roll, knead, sculpt and mould clay vis-à-vis their imagination while strengthening their muscles. While Kinetic sand also results in relaxation and calmness while fostering imaginations of a child. These sensory activities are must for kids with special abilities as well.

Related Read : Sensory fun play for kids

Fun with lego , STEM toys :

Its time to nurture creativity in kids. Best ways to foster creativity in children #creativity #imagination #fostercreativity #positiveparenting #creativechild #development #lego #freeplay

Unstructured Lego to be used for “free-build” is the right way to foster creativity in a child. Forget using the pre defined booklet instructions on the Lego, but use your own imaginative skills to build “anything” with the blocks in the Lego Kit.

We’re taught to follow the instructions, learn  one right answer, and this is what curbs the innate creativity of a child. Standardising education never leads to quality development.

And that is why using unstructured Lego blocks, STEM toys, helps in warming up the brain to switch on that creative bulb!

“I was on cloud nine when my son made Army Tanker out of Lego’s and he came explaining me what it was and why Army personnel used them.” Blocks can give life to the imaginations! 

And yes, let’s not forget the role of Engaging worksheets & Free Play. Give kids their “free play” time. Just observe them, but don’t confront them every minute for do’s and don’ts. Give them creative worksheets with Puzzles, and real life things to help them with concepts rather than believing in rote and standard ways of learning!

Stay Creative, it is contagious, Pass it On!

Its time to nurture creativity in kids. Best ways to foster creativity in children #creativity #imagination #fostercreativity #positiveparenting #creativechild #development #lego #freeplay

Love,

Signature

Jhilmil

Quest to live the life surrounded with the charming little bundle's of joy. When they speak, I sing, When they smile, I rejoice , When they hug, I hold them never to lose, Such is my passion for these Gifts of God.This love urged me to navigate separately from my Travel Blog & establish an "All-In-One" Blog for budding mothers. Mum's have multi-tasked this world ,with all her professional commitments , she still makes an extra effort to be a loving, caring and be an intellectual mommy! Cheers, for me too come from the same fraternity, post having a superb academics & close to 8 years of professional experience and blessed with a little one "who has indeed changed my life from Autumn to Spring";)

This Post Has 37 Comments

  1. Namrata Kumari

    every parents should start thinking in a way you think. Always encouraging your kids to be creative.

  2. Rimjhim

    Very inspiring and creative INDEED!

  3. apsara mishra

    Loved so many creative ideas.. My son is big Aalsi so this will be perfect for him.

  4. prernasinha2000

    Even I’ve prepared a list of activities to be performed by my kids. Sitting idle is of no use rather do something productive.

  5. nandanidatta

    its really important to make kids creative starting at a young age. every parent needs to do this .

  6. viharin

    Yes, these are some great tips! It’s also important for parents to get into such activities with kids

  7. Mrinal Kiran

    I totally agree! Creativity is a necessity! Creativity gives happiness! And I loved all the ideas you put forward! They are definitely effective!

  8. jhilmildsaha

    Play dough is a great form of nurturing creativity in kids. As you suggested performing arts, i am in the favour of letting the kids take part in these type of performances at school or colony

  9. lacyngo

    These are great ideas. Instilling imagination is so important! Imaginging and pretending were my favorite things to do as a child, and I want my children to experience the same joy.

  10. Varsh

    Imagination is best utilised when set free. All these activities help in overall personality development.

  11. Anubhuti Seth

    A good article for the upcoming vacations. Some good ideas to implement.

  12. Kathy Myers

    Your ideas for helping children with using their imaginations are great! I especially like the unstructured Legos. The kits are neat and I know children like to collect them. But with the unstructured ones their imagination is the limit.

  13. beachylady2017

    Every Child deserves this. The Dance, Music one was my favorite because kids learn so much from music!

  14. Komal

    I think things like dance, musi, acting are an awesome way to help foster young children’s minds, personality and social skills!

  15. Alison Rost

    It’s really important for parents to give more effort to foster their child’s creativity. It’s something that we’re slowly losing because of all the gadget available. These are all wonderful suggestions.

  16. Blogsikka.com

    Very true blocks and stem toys are best when it comes to education and as well as exploring creativity

  17. mylittlemuffin

    Giving your children a chance to explore is extremely important. This is what helps them discover their creativity.

  18. Snigdha

    I always allow my son to be creative and to think creative… It is very important as well. ..very nice article.

  19. manderpantz

    Yes, I completely agree with all these points. So many children’s toys and things are fostered for convenience rather than creativity these days!

  20. Iya-louisa

    In this era I think think this is important! especially when iPads are becoming children’s favourite toys over their imaginations

  21. London Mumma

    I am always trying to get my daughter to express herself in a creative way and it totally works she loves it and thrives so much from it.

  22. Neha Gupta

    Creative thinking is the need for the hour as the 21st century wants children with out of the box thinking..These are such great tips to build creativity in kids

  23. Ruthy

    Amen to all of these! I think it’s so important to encourage creativity in my own kids, too.

  24. heartloveshome

    My girls love creating art. They love coloring, drawing pictures, and painting, etc. Playing with Legos is also another fun thing my girls love to do. They’ll follow the directions to create something or create whatever they want with the Legos.

  25. Karlyn Cruz

    Creativity is such an amazing thing for kids to foster. Their minds are so full of light that all of these things you mentioned, stem, playing with dough, etc. are such amazing ways for them to share their thoughts.

  26. Papri Ganguly

    Dance, drama, painting and story telling are great activities for kids. Thanks for sharing such amazing tips

  27. trinaellen

    Great tips, I want my kids to be able foster a creative spirit. It feels like school sometimes squashes it now adays, so it’s important for parents to do it.

  28. Jennifer L

    One of the things I wish kids had was being more active and creative with their hands like back in my childhood. I remember painting and creating DIYS in my backyard. Definitely adds to the creative mind.

  29. MELANIE EDJOURIAN

    Plenty of great tips there. I think it’s important to try to encourage children to be creative from as young an age as possible.

  30. hillcitybride

    It’s so important to let kids experience things and learn to think on their own. These are great tips for getting their creative juices flowing!

  31. Very fun article to read. I agree with all the points stated and I also feel that kids today aren’t allowed to be kids, which robs them of the creativity as well. We like to place labels on them at early ages instead of letting them grow to be who they are intended to be.

  32. Eloise

    I’m a big time believer in creativity and having that be a frequent and huge part of my kids life… I love the message of this post and I hope it inspires more parents and grandparents to introduce creative play to their kids and keep it in their lives throughout growing up!

  33. Purple Dreams

    I wasn’t aware of the importance of developing these skills from a very young age, when my elder kid was a baby. But it’s always better than never, right? So started it all recently and I know that change. And this article is very well written. Sharing for more mom’s to get the idea of it.

    1. Jhilmil

      That’s great to know that you have started fostering this creativity in kids, I’m sure they’ll benefit tons. Thanks for sharing:)

  34. These mentioned activities will surely boost their creativity and will encourage them think out of box.

  35. Humaira

    Amazing and informative post. Very useful and beneficial tips to develop creativity in kids.Great thought.

Leave a Reply