How to Raise Creative Kids

by ajohnson | Sep 1, 2021 | Blog, Life, Opinion

In a time when screens are more important and easier to entertain than creativity, it’s more important to teach kids how to be creative on their own. For me, I’ve always believed letting my girls play on their own without my influence would allow for more creativity in the future. 

Sometimes, the internet or batteries aren’t available (meaning the iPad or phone is not charged) so entertaining themselves with other things is very important. My husband and I are both entrepreneurs, and sometimes we can’t always play with them or get something they need right away, so being able to get creative themselves has been important.

The earlier you can teach your kid to be creative, the more their little minds start working and growing. This can be done in various ways, and I will detail a few ways we did it with our girls. And I should note, no two kids are alike, so what works for one may not work exactly the same for the next.

How To Raise Creative Kids

Everyone has access to creativity. As a parent, it’s in your hands to help your child tap their creative specialty. You can support them as they navigate their way to the creative arts, help them hone their senses and mind to cultivate their creativity. So, what can you do to raise creative kids? 

Fuel Their Passion

Encourage their enthusiasm for what they’re interested in, be it music, robotics, sports, or gardening. Be their biggest motivator. Expose them to pursuits available in your area and guide them as they find where their heart is.

Offer Choices

Encourage them to think independently by offering selections, such as movies, music, food, bedsheets, pet names, or clothes. 

Celebrate Their Efforts

Rewards can be a good motivator but focus on their effort, on how they’re able to achieve things instead of the achievement itself. Being objective in how you commend them will help them focus on the process, which fosters independent thinking.

Be Messy

Whether you like it or not, messes are important in raising a child. It is with the mess of paints, clothes, art materials that their creativity will develop. It might be an inconvenience, but it’s temporary, and the creative benefits will outweigh the overwhelming mess.

Let them Be Unique

Develop their individuality by allowing them to be different. Be their haven against the pressure of the society to follow the norms. Help them be comfortable in their oddity and let them have a different perspective of the world.

Be Open to Unstructured Time

Kids get bored, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Instead of filling their idle time with structured entertainment or activities, brainstorm what they want to do. Help them figure out what lits their signal fire because this could be how their creativity starts.

Let Them Play With Open-Ended Toys

Since open-ended toys can be played in various ways, these foster creativity, children can play with these toys based on their interests and imagination. 

Open-Ended Toys That Encourage Creativity

Now, here’s a list of open-ended toys that encourage creativity:

Wooden Blocks

Blocks encourage children to design, build and imagine.

Colored Pebbles

Kids can play with colored pebbles by transferring and filling or use this for sorting too. It’s is a good practice on their motor skill development.

Animal Figurines

For role-play and pretend play, this would be the best choice. Your child can practice recognition and identification in playing with animal figurines. It’s is also suitable for sensory play, and they can practice storytelling too. Real pets work really well for this as well, and it helps the pet become used to the kids. 

Play Silks

From playing peek-a-boo using play silks or scarves to building forts, this is good for sensory play, especially for babies and toddlers.

Easel

For children who love to doodle, this is an excellent addition to the play area. You can also use this to teach a new language or learning to read.

Wood Peg Dolls

You can get your kids a multi-colored set for peg dolls or those in neutral colors. This toy encourages storytelling and role-playing, focusing on literacy and language.