7 Ways to Help Your Children’s Creativity Thrive 

Creativity is a trait that is prized more now than ever before. Like most parents, I hope to see my creative blossom and grow into creative adults. It is a beautiful thing when you see your child’s imagination and creativity come to life, and definitely something that should be nurtured. Every child is different in his or her own way. By encouraging your child to be creative, you give them room to grow into their own person. They are able to be who they are, and not be told what to think or say.

1. Embrace the mess

It is hard to resist cleaning up when you see your child making a mess with their art project, but embrace the mess. You might have a mess on your hands, but your child can create whatever their hearts desire without any boundaries. You will be amazed at what they can come up with when we are not hindering their creative juices by picking up after them.

2. Trust the process

We have to allow our child to create and play how they want. Whether they are creating a drawing or cutting out designs for a project, allow them to create and use their imagination. Don’t push them to create something because you feel it is the right way, sit back and let them do what they want, and see what piece of art they create.

3. Make time for creativity

Make sure you take the time to have unstructured time for your child. Whether they are coloring pages out of a coloring book, playing with their dolls or trucks with mom or dad, or doing a craft. Just make time to allow your child to have the opportunity to grow. Even sitting down and reading books with your child helps them to learn to be more creative.

4. Have fun

Just have fun in all things you do.  Don’t get technical if they don’t cut directly on the line, or create rules for a game that aren’t quite right. Just have fun and go with the flow, this will make your child feel comfortable and allow them to grow and develop into their own self.

5. Ask open-ended questions

When you are playing, or they are reading a book, or crafting, ask open ended questions. This allows them to really think and dig deep for answers. Say your child colors a picture and uses a lot of different colors, you could ask them why they chose to do that. Or you are playing with toy cars and they want you to drive down the ramp, ask why. Whatever it is, make sure to ask questions that get a good response back, it helps them think out of the box.

6. Give them a camera

Go outdoors for a little while and hand over your camera. Show them how to take pictures and see what they capture. It is like looking through the eyes of your child, and you can see what creative and fun shots they take.

7. Run with their ideas

Don’t squash your child’s ideas, run with them. Let them help decide how to play a game or what comes next in the story you are making up. It’s okay if it doesn’t quite make sense! It’s still wonderful because your child is thinking and stepping out of the box.