In this new age of living, creativity is important for one to survive in the society as one needs to be able to generate new ideas and respond creatively to a wide range of circumstances.
It can strengthen the child’s ego, allow for independence, and help the child confront and cope with many things in life.
However, children nowadays are facing with great demands from adults and they grew up being told what to do by adults. Being creative is not about what children knows; it’s more about their ability to process, innovate and transform the knowledge gained into something positive, new and better.
So how can we help to nurture creativity in child?
- Valued the process more than the product. Encourage children to play with ideas and explore solutions rather than pressure them to do what you want. Value and validate your child’s ideas without trying to fit them to yours.
- Discuss ideas with a spirit of fun and laughter to make the experience pleasant for your child.
- Respect and listen your child’s voice. This helps to build your child’s confidence of taking risks and being original.
- Encourage creative thought and artistic expression. Establish a free, open atmosphere where self expression is encouraged and valued. And provide a variety of materials and keep activities open-ended, it encourages them to explore and express themselves without rules.
- Support physical creativity with role playing and movement. Be the role model for your child, join in the fun and have imaginary play or music and movement activities with them.
- Ask your child open ended questions or give comments that will stimulate them to think and nurture the creative atmosphere. Examples, “It’s fun to try it different ways”, “Tell me more about it”, “Let’s try it anyway”, “Have you thought of any ways?”, “I see you are having lots of fun”, “What do you think is going to happen?” etc.
- Always create a positive environment. Sometimes you may be surprised by your child’s ideas and think that it is not possible or he/she is wrong but do not put their ideas down. Tell them “Wow what an unique idea, I did not think of it before. Let’s try it out or let’s think if there are other ways to do it.”
Ideas to boost your child’s creative juices
- Invite your child to invent his/her games and play with them.
- Bring your child outdoors and have cloud watching together. Ask your child what he sees. Example “The long and curvy one looks like a snake”. Create a simple story with the ‘things’ he sees.
- Provide a tape or audio recorder and have him create his own commercials, songs, or stories. Playback and listen together.
- Give a blank journal that your child can write in everyday and design the cover page of the journal.
- Dig your closet and play dress up with your child. Encourage a world of make-believe and pretend.
- Tell a story and stop before the ending. Encourage your child to change the ending to his own.
- Kitchen stomp! Bring out your pots and pans for your child to create music and different ways of playing.
- Have your child put his hands and ideas to create a kite together with you and watch the creativity soar up high in the sky.
