Creativity is not as much about an artistic mind or approach as it is about the importance of finding original solutions to problems and implementing them. In that sense, not only musicians and artists need creative skills but kids also. Creativity gives them a cohesive push in matters of thoughts, spirit, and understanding. It helps them lead a full life. It is this thing that makes some individuals better than the others so that importance they can impact the world. With the evolution of time, the world is becoming complex. Kids have to be imaginative and innovative with their solutions to get to the other side.
One of the World Economic Forum’s reports says kids need to develop three essential skills to thrive. These include creativity, problem-solving, and critical analysis. Of these three, creativity is seen as one of the topmost leadership qualities. Even educationists also harp on its importance by treating it to be equal to literacy. It may make you wonder how to help your kids with this.
Jonah Engler: Making your kids creative
Kids are inherently creative. But they lose it as they grow. The reason behind this is their surrounding environment. If you are creative, your kids will also get to build on this throughout their lives. Their natural curiosity makes them inquisitive. Due to this, they keep trying different things when they play. They don’t confine themselves to rules that limit the use of an object. That’s why you find them using even a regular thing differently. For instance, you give them a bowl and observe what they do. It will not be surprising if you see your kid keeping it on its head as a hat or using it as a stepping tool.
Kids have this tendency to turn things into something else. And this is what shows their creative side. Alas, this natural curve loses its sheen over time when they begin formal education. Till kindergarten, they remain most active in this sphere. But this capability takes a massive hit as their education advances. Studies also highlight this by eliciting that 98% of KG kids tend to have more creative talent than adults age 25. In the latter age group, only 3% seem to possess this.
The reason behind such diminished capabilities is attributable to overemphasizing the acquisition of discrete skills against purpose-driven and playful learning. Nowadays, the focus is on teaching your kids what is right so that they don’t fail or stay behind in the competition. Now, the challenge is how to make them creative. Jonah Engler shows you the way.
Tips for improving your kid’s creativity
For building a reliable, creative foundation, you need to have a certain mindset. You have to remind yourself that any object can have multiple uses. Any problem can have a variety of potential solutions. If you want to be better, you will first mess up. Failures lead to successes, and you can create something new from the broken pieces of other things.
When you understand these truths, you can fill your child also with such thoughts. It will help you boost their creative experiences. There are a few things that you can implement for this purpose. Let’s explore them one by one.
DIY play ideas
The kids need a starting point for that creative kick. So, give them ample scope for this. In this endeavor, you can use a variety of importance concepts, for example, give them a white sheet and ask them to imagine it as a sky and paint it. Or, tell them to create a king- or queen-like look. When they are busy making things, observe them. Don’t think about what if they fail to build. A kid can see what you cannot. It can use its flaws to turn into something amazing.
Encouragement
Every child has a different sensory response. Some tend to be messy, while others don’t. But you need to provide flexibility. Give them a chance to do what they want to do. That means if they’re going to mix all the different shades, let them explore it. Let them act freely and be comfortable with all the possibilities. When they are freewheeling, they get the power to think outside the box.
Cheering up
The learning that you get from destroying things and then stitching them together remains unmatched. It will not be importance wrong to say that taking things apart is also an act of creative instinct. However, you have to be a bit careful in this aspect as the child needs to know that not every object should be torn apart, whether it is a remote control or a neighborhood garden.
Infinite possibilities
As mentioned earlier also, you should let the kid do whatever it wishes to with an object. Don’t hinder a child’s imagination. However, if he or she is doing something risky, you have to protect them. But make sure to be wise with your words. You should know how to tell them to be careful.
Creativity sharing
If you are a creative person, you must include your little one in your activity; whether you practice paintings, songs, instruments, dance, yoga, or anything else, do it in their presence. Let them slip in their creative ideas into your model. It can encourage them a lot.
Creativity helps nurture well-being in kids. You make sure importance their motor skills improve, their wellness is taken care of, and their proper development happens when you inspire your kids to be imaginative.
It may not be an easy task for you. But you are going to prepare the next generation for the future world. Hence, making a bit of effort in this direction deserves attention. If you want your kid to make this world a better place for everyone and thrive, you need to give them creative wings. They are like soft soil. Let them acquire the shape and form they desire. Give them a chance to look at the problems differently and fix them. But it doesn’t mean you cannot guide them. You can. Just don’t impose the right and wrong on them.