Enhancing Your Child's Creativity

Everyone wants their child to grow up to be smart, well-rounded and creative. Schools focus on education and offer activities in sports, music and art. But how do you enhance your child's innate ability to be creative in their approach to life? Here are eight things I did to foster creativity that worked.

Reading ~Books ~Notebooks
Books and reading are a start. Supplement with lots of plain paper, drawing paper, scissors, glue, tape, stapler and a hole punch. Drawing outside the lines is so much more creative and fun. Provide older children with blank books and pens in lots of colors for note-taking and creative writing. Encourage them to journal and add magazine pictures for illustrations.

Hands~on Toys
Kids are computer and electronic game experts. You need to make an effort to find them fun, timeless, hands-on toys that are more traditionally creative and entertaining. They'll spend hours learning tricks if you supply a unicycle, a classic wooden yo-yo or a set of bean bags to juggle. A pogo stick is a great, creative tension reliever for a kid.

Decorate Their Own Room
Help your children have a sense of ownership and privacy by involving them in decorating their bedroom. Don't just pick a theme like cars or dolls or the latest movie hero. Brainstorm and come up with ideas that express their interests and creativity. Let them pick weird colors - it's only paint. Cover one wall with a wallpaper mural or get creative yourself and paint a mural together.

Family Meals & Conversation
Have at least two scheduled times per week when everyone must be present for the family meal. Make it non-negotiable. This is not the time to have friends for dinner or bring up unpleasant subjects and discipline issues. It's your family's dedicated time to be together. Keep the conversation positive and encourage each family member to express their views and have an opinion on various subjects. Teach your children the art of creative thinking and lively conversation.

Sunday Morning Newspaper
Sunday mornings in our house was when the family spread out in the living room with the newspaper. No TV and no computer. The kids took over the comics and electronic ads while the adults read the news. A good hour or two can be spent just perusing the paper and chatting. Children are exposed to what's going on in the world and can discuss it as a family. The entertainment section of the paper will give everyone ideas for future creative activities.

Classical Music
Classical music is often an acquired taste. Introduce it to your household in small doses by playing it in the background during dinner. Let everyone take turns picking out what music plays in the car and when it's your turn, be creative and go classical.

Local Art Fairs & Festivals
Attend art openings, street fairs and public music gigs. Let the kids see that you don't have to be professional to enjoy creativity. People from all walks of life and every skill level participate in these events. Go look around and talk with your children about what you see.

The Public Library
The library is more than just books. You can also borrow movies, CDs and magazines. Don't let the computer be your only research tool. Be creative and make the library a family hangout.

Kids need two things to encourage their creativity: the stimulation to see the world as a bigger place than just their own little spot in it, and a safe place to view that world from. Use these suggestions on enhancing creativity to give them both. It will expand your creativity, too.

source:
Linda Naiman, "What is Creativity?", creativityatwork.com