Helping your children build and strengthen their creativity can help them become better problem solvers, understand how things work, develop their talents and interests, improve their self-esteem, develop concentration skills, boost learning and more. Children are naturally creative, but just like adults, some may need a little more encouragement and inspiration than others. How can parents raise creative kids who find joy and confidence in their ideas and creations?
Inspire creativity
One of the best ways to spark your children’s creativity is to give time and space for them to create. If your kids’ day is filled with sports and activities, they may not have the time to be creative with their free time. Make sure your busy schedule allows for free time where your children are allowed to play, create art and build things using their imaginations. Set up a space in your home where they are allowed to get a little messy with a craft and fill it with materials they can use to create something. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on craft supplies. Crayons, markers, glue and paper are a great place to start but also consider using items from your recycle bin, such as empty paper towel rolls, cardboard boxes, newspapers or magazines, egg cartons, scraps of yarn, ribbon, lace or fabric. Pipe cleaners, Popsicle sticks, paint and clay can be bought at an affordable price, and children can often find ingredients for art by collecting nature items outside, such as pine cones, sticks, leaves or rocks. Allow your children to discover what items interest them and begin to create.
Allow boredom
Kids will often turn on the TV, tablet or video game to fill times of idleness. “Let them be bored!” says Karla Traul, Spring Hill, KS, mom of four. When your children are bored and they are not allowed to have screen time, they are forced to find something to entertain themselves. “When my kids are bored, I see their imagination come out the most, and they play the best together,” says Ashley Frew, elementary education teacher and mom of two from Olathe. “Turn off the electronics, busy yourself with something else and don’t facilitate anything for them,” she says. “Let them learn to entertain themselves.”
Provide open-ended toys
An open-ended toy allows children to use their imaginations to play and can be used in a variety of ways. Some great examples of open-ended toys are blocks, dolls, cars, clay, play food or art supplies. If your children are surrounded by toys that inspire creativity, they are more likely to develop the skills they need to be creative in other areas of their lives. “Encouraging creativity and imagination can lead to so many other great skills, such as independence, problem solving and growth mindset,” says Frew.
Encourage the process
While your child is being creative with art projects or pretend play, try to give him space without direction to figure it out on his own. Showing an example of a completed project is a great way to inspire kids but allow them to make it their own. If they would like to color a banana purple, don’t discourage them by calling it silly or pointing out bananas are usually yellow. “Avoid jumping in if they are struggling,” Frew says. “Instead, ask open-ended questions that encourage them to find their own solution. I always praise the process, not the product.”
Set an example
A great way to encourage any behavior or habit you would like your children to develop is to set an example. If you would like them to become creative problem solvers, walk them through how you think of new ways to solve the problems you face in daily life. If you would like them to develop artistic talents, participate with your kids when they are making art projects or while they play pretend. You may feel you don’t have much of a creative side but you can use what interests you and bring your child alongside you. Whether it’s decorating, fashion, gardening, sewing, cooking or organizing, you can get your child involved and show her how you use your own creativity to do the things you love and create solutions for problems that arise.
Allow mess
“Let them get messy,” advises Frew. “My kids have full access to our craft closet as long as they are safe and responsible. It is stocked with scissors, glue, paint, stickers, play dough and more.” Set boundaries and rules that fit your household, such as to clean up when you are done, only write on paper and be safe with scissors. Limit items if needed but try to supervise use of craft items rather than take them away completely. When kids know they can be messy, creative inspiration’s strike is more likely.
When thinking of ways to inspire creativity in your children, consider their interests. Not all children enjoy arts and crafts. If your children loves sports, suggest they make up their own game. If your kids love movies, have them write a movie script and act it out. The most important thing is that they have the opportunity to create.
Tips to Control the Creativity Mess
With raising creative kids comes a fair amount of mess. Many parents find this stressful and overwhelming. Establish some simple boundaries for the mess and you’ll free your kids to focus on creating. Here are some tips to help:
- Designate a space for creating. This could be the kitchen or dining room table, playroom or corner of the basement. Designate and art project space so the mess feels more contained.
- Provide clothes for getting messy. If you’re concerned about your kids' clothes getting ruined by glue and paint, provide them with a craft smock, apron or specific clothes they are allowed to get dirty.
- Take craft projects outside when possible. If weather permits, have the kids work on messier projects outdoors or in the garage.
- Teach kids to clean up after themselves. Set a rule that craft projects are allowed but only if creators clean up when finished.
- Create a place for items to be stored and organized. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive, but having a space to put away art supplies, paper and other items will help keep the mess corralled and make for easier cleanup.
Sarah Lyons is a freelance writer who lives in Olathe with her family.