Freedom!
Creativity allows children (and adults) to face new realities with confidence. As a matter of fact, imagination helps children find ingenious solutions to problems and, most of all, gives them the freedom to choose between normality or inventing something entirely new and original.
Give your child the freedom to experience his own creativity in different ways (music, arts, writing, poetry, sports, etc.). Remember, when making a drawing with your child, not to tell him what to do and let him explore his own tastes and inspirations. Your child’s work of art may look highly experimental, but it will reflect the way he sees things!
Let’s play!
When a child has new ideas constantly flying around in his head, you can be certain that he will never be let down when he will face life’s challenges. Creativity does not limit itself to arts and crafts, it is also a way of thinking, of seeing life and of using your own personal resources in an unconventional way. In other words, creativity is a part of your intelligence and makes everything possible!
Play different types of games with words, music, textures, colors, etc. To be in a creative mode, you have to feel as if you are playing a game. This way, you truly engage yourself in the pleasure and spontaneity of the experience.
Encouragements!
Fortunately, creativity is an expertise that anyone can learn to develop. Without it, your life would be outrageously repetitive. What allows you to feel alive and to set yourself apart from others is change, progress, a tiny bit of craziness and innovative ideas! Children need to be encouraged and not constantly judged or graded. When your child is creating an individual project, congratulate him on his work. For example, you can hang his drawings on the wall (some like to turn the wall leading down the stairs into an art museum!). You can even scan his drawings and print them as 8X10 photographs.
Time
There is no perfect time to develop your creativity. As an example, if you are baking and you realize that you are out of cinnamon, take this perfect opportunity to use your creativity and solve the problem. Ask your children’s help to find a spice that will do the trick. Smell the different spices as a group and choose one. What truly matters is taking the time to stimulate your child’s creativity with spontaneity rather than in a planned and structured manner.
Stimulate the imagination
When reading a book to your children, stop halfway and ask them how they imagine the rest of the story. Allow your children to venture into an imaginary world. You can do the same while watching a movie, but most of the time, children prefer discussing the movie at the end and not breaking the rhythm of the story.
Experiment
Trying, testing and, of course, making mistakes, are all part of learning to be creative. You have to let children make their own experiences without telling them the result in advance (“No honey, red and black are not going to mix into a bright color, it will be very dark!”).
Craziness
Children love to laugh. When they let go, they become less shy and are more willing to fully enjoy new creative activities. Allow your children to forget the boundaries and explore the countless possibilities.
Day to day
Sometimes, we are forced into thinking that creative experiences require a long preparation. As an adult, you have to seize every opportunity to be creative. Taking a walk in the park? Why not take advantage of this moment to invent a song, pick up objects to use in a project or make up a story on the way back home?
Variety!
It is not necessary to spend tons in an art supply store to find material for crafting. Reuse old corks, boxes, plastic plates or cardboard. Head for the dollar store where you are sure to find tons of little treasures. Put all the material in an art box that you can swiftly open up when your children are struck with inspiration!
Idea Catcher
For your children to be creative, you have to be creative yourself. Keep your senses awake and take every opportunity to be imaginative. The web is filled with extremely interesting blogs where moms share ideas about different activities to do with their children. Why not be inspired by their ideas and try them yourself? Many websites also suggest lots of crafting ideas and creative family excursions.
