Many people assume that creativity is something you are born with. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth since conception is more of a skill than talent. Creativity isn’t limited to arts and music alone. It transcends multiple fields including math, science, critical thinking and social intelligence. As a parent, you can help foster creativity in your child by carrying out some steps in this article. Read on to see how.
1. Facilitate a space to create
Create room for your child to tap into their imaginations. This does not only mean physical space, but it also includes tools and gadgets they need for their creative projects. A tool like an easel (tripod) is a good place to start.
Not just any easel will do though, they need to be appropriate for the child by having a size conforming to their height. Kids tripods are great for developing unique artworks and only a dedicated person can do that. With an easel, a child will feel comfortable painting their favorite characters, natural scenes, and much more. The concerned website Baby Gadget Lab has some more info to share with you regarding easel
Remember, kids love to draw and paint. For that reason, support your child in their painting escapades and help them unleash their creativity. On top of that, they will build up muscle groups, develop motor skills and bolster hand-eye coordination
2. Celebrate and brainstorm ideas
Creativity is more than just artistic expression. You can get inspired by science, math, computer coding, and just about every other endeavor. Being creative means coming up with new ideas and projects to foster ingenuity and creative thinking.
Teach your child from an early age that it’s not scary to exchange new ideas. That’s how people progress by connecting with other like-minded individuals. Kids emulate actions more than words. For that reason, it’s good for them to see that you are a creative person as well. Let your child recognize your mistakes and learn from them.
It can be bewildering to let your kid fail since you’re there to swoop in and liberate them. However, allow them to learn from their failures, and they will be more resilient and responsible.
3. Show interest in their creations
There’s a lot of thought processes that go into making new stuff. As such, it’s good to ask your child about the idea behind their creations. This makes them to articulate the process, which in turn also helps you appreciate how they think. The kid also understands that you maintain a great interest in what they’re doing.
As the kid shows off their recent creations, offer them constructive feedback: don’t criticize. Be a cheerleader and not a naysayer. Encourage your child but don’t praise them. Say something like, “Great job, you must have worked really hard” rather than “Wow! That’s the best I’ve ever seen.” If you praise them too much, they falsely depend on talent alone rather than hard work. However, never criticize them no matter what, since it doesn’t help one bit.
By showing interest, you will also instill the right mindset to help the kid today and well into the future. Moreover, it will be fun for everyone to enjoy the wonder of exploring their imagination regularly.
4. Encourage kids to play outside and socialize
Play is an essential part of life, not only for physical health, but for other important soft skills like planning, decision-making and self-control. Kids outside learn to have a good time without supervision. They have to prioritize and make decisions on their own.
Play and drama encourage the child to have alternate thinking. Playing helps us deal with and anticipate the unexpected. Games like Chess are excellent since they teach divergent thinking, because of the multiple possible answers. If a problem can be resolved in one way, then it also has other, maybe even better solutions.
5. Let your child do what they love
What does your child like to do? There must be something they like to do in their leisure, and these interests might change over time. It is overwhelming trying to get the latest and shiniest objects, but surely there’s a way both of you can reach a middle ground.
If your little girl loves to bake, encourage her to put things in the oven. For boys, if they like to play the beautiful game on a PlayStation, you might as well get them a real football. It’s never too early to encourage your kid’s pursuits.
Conclusion
We live in a world where we are measured for our achievements. This fact is also not lost on kids, many of whom go about societal pressure to perform from school teachers, peers, and their parents. This line of thinking has made some of us underestimate the importance of creativity in our lives, more so when younger. Preschool teachers have even acknowledged the importance of creativity in early childhood development. It influences how we think today and in the future. A free kid is open to learning and has an agile mind.
Comments
comments