Creativity is very important for young children. Not only is this the base for communication skills and emotional intelligence, but it is also crucial for academic success. Creative children tend to generally fare better in school and eventually life, and to ensure that that is the case, today we offer you pointers on how to nurture creativity from a young age.
Appreciate new ideas
Often, as parents or teachers, we are fixated on the way we do things or want things to be. For example, if you’re fond of placing the furniture a certain way you might brush off your child’s suggestion to do it some other way.
But when you do that you’re actually stifling their innovation. Instead, you want to recognize their idea and show interest by asking them to explain the reasoning behind it. When you positively welcome new ideas, this creates a safe space for innovation where your child can open up and question things without fear. And this sparks creativity.
Feed their interests
Children’s interests can vary greatly. One time your child is over the moon for basketball and the very next, they’re into board games. As a result, it’s easy for teachers and parents to not take these interests seriously.
However, if we are to nurture creativity in the classroom and beyond, we must fuel these interests. That said, here are a few ways to stoke the flames:
- If they like drawing, get them some painting gear
- Enroll the child for music lessons if they show interest in music
- Provide surplus books and resources about their interests
- Help to fund their interest by buying the equipment they need
Encourage storytelling
Generally, to nurture creativity in children, you want to get them to use descriptive language as much as possible. From telling you about their day to making up fairytales, storytelling is a powerful creative weapon that you can wield in many ways.
Additionally, storytelling in the form of reading out bedtime stories can also be just as effective. This is another storytelling approach that will cultivate curiosity and get those creative juices flowing.
Provide stimulating toys and materials
Whether you’re nurturing creativity in education or at home, there are a ton of creative toys that can help to fast-track this journey. Puzzles, for example, are great at growing a child’s creativity as well as their problem-solving abilities.
A few other excellent toys that can sharpen creativity in children include:
- Building blocks
- Kitchen play sets
- Dress up accessories
- Puppets and so on
All these toys provide opportunities for little ones to flex their creative muscles as well as their ability to imagine and innovate.
Creativity is the bedrock of success
With poor creativity, a child is limited in many ways as this is at the center of proper brain development. Just like how cement is important for construction, creativity will help a child to piece together various other skills that they need to do well in academics and in their careers as well.