Want Your Kids to be Creative? Follow This 5 Step Guide!

Every parent’s dream is to raise a child who is going to be a good person, a successful person, a happy person above everything.

Studies confirm that crucial age in every child’s psychological and emotional development is age of two (2) and age of seven (7). Apparently, a child’s personality is formed in this time span and everything that comes after are minor changes, not as important instances of a child’s growing up. Naturally, a child’s personality is formed all throughout its life but the accent is on the previously mentioned time span.

Children express their creativity at an early stage. Once you recognize the creative note in your child, it is your duty as a parent to help him/her develop the spark within. A child’s method of thinking and problem solving is where all the creativity starts.

If you are not sure how to help your child understand and expand his/her reasoning and encourage his/hers confidence in expressing personal opinions and views, we’ve got a guide that may just help you.

 

image:creativecommons.org

       1. Give your child a choice

Giving your child a choice in small matters, such as what to eat for breakfast or where to go on a weekend is where all the “liberty” starts. Once your child realizes they are given the opportunity to think independently, they’ll subconsciously start exercising an important aspect of their creativity.

2. Offer variety

In the world we live today, almost everything we do is controlled by media. Unlike former generations who used to spend their free time playing hide and seek, the youth of today is 24/7 influenced by media served by the media. To encourage independence and help your child find the inner drive, encourage time away from the media content, caregivers or other potential influences. Let your child be for a while.

Put your child in a stimulating environment, a place that will stimulate their imagination. Books, drawing supplies, blocks, random craft supplies… are all great contributors to elaborate dramatic play schemes.

3. Spend time with your child

This paragraph may sound a bit contradictory to the previous one when in fact – the two are complimentary. 

A child needs his parent for support, guidance and reliance. Your “job” as a parent is to spend time with your child and talk to him in order for him to get comfortable thinking and reasoning – you, as a parent, are one of the key elements in triggering your child’s curiosity in variety of topics. You also need to be creative yourself. For instance, use a cardboard tube to turn it into a tower, a microphone, a telescope... Take a pot made of plastic and let it sit on your head, imitating a hat, etc. Validate all of your child's ideas, and never forget to praise him or her for such an impressive imagination.

image:creativecommons.org

4. Ask and answer

The more you talk to your child, the more you’ll stimulate his or hers curiosity and desire to understand the outer and their inner world.

To help your child stretch their understanding and help them postulate ideas, ask open-ended questions and see where it’ll take you. Ask your child "what if" questions. "What if people could fly?" "What if fish walked on land?" “What if flowers weren’t colorful?”

Also, include your child in finding ways to make an improvement upon something. "How could we empty the swimming pool without spilling any water?" "How can we gather the toys faster?" "What could we do to make the ball bounce higher?"

Another way to help a child exercise their creativity is through reading him/her a book and asking what could happen next. Talk about a character’s feeling and figure out why would that particular character feel that way…

5. Surround your child with stimulating things

An environment in which a child is brought up is an important factor in their upbringing. Instead of painting the walls in the same color, opt for wallpaper with letters, or stories, even characters from certain fairytales. Make the environment interesting for the child. Buy kids rugs with equally stimulating motifs. Just make sure you don’t go overboard and overwhelm the space.

As a parent, you must be aware that your child will need you every step of the way while growing up. And, surely, you will enjoy every moment of being by their side. Use those moments productively and be your child’s intellectual and creative rock – help your kid become the best version they can be!