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As parents, we are constantly trying to find new and improved ways to help give our children the best upbringing possible. Raising a child is about more than just simply providing them with a home, food, and a good education – successfully raising a child in the modern age requires so much more. We need to encourage mindfulness, foster creativity, and ignite their talent spark from a young age – don’t let this intimidate you because it is not as complicated as it sounds. Here are 8 simple, yet effective, ways to boost your child’s creativity.
- Don’t Just Answer Questions
Children ask so many questions in a day, and the older they get the more questions they have. As tempting as it may be, you shouldn’t just always give them the answers. If it can turn into a teachable moment, then ask them what they think the answer is and work with them to get to the real answer. You can help them if they get stuck but they must learn from a young age that they are encouraged to problem-solve.
- Don’t Just Buy Things, Make Them Too
When it comes to exciting holidays like Halloween and Christmas, don’t just automatically buy decorations and accessories. Pick a few fun projects that your kids can help with, check out all of these inspiring ideas for card making – this helps stimulate the creative centers in their brains and it will save you money at the same time. As tempting as it might be to just order online, sometimes you need to just spend a few hours creating your own.
- Challenge Their Minds
Instead of always just barking out instructions to your kids, pick one problem that your family encounters each week and ask them for help with solving it. Teach them the concept of brainstorming ideas and let them know that no idea is a bad idea. There is a fine line between encouraging creative thinking and rewarding very little effort but if you can see that your child has tried hard to solve the problem and still needs help getting there, then you can gently nudge them in the right direction. You should also let your child choose some of their own activities, that way they can explore the activities that they like the most.
- Get Messy
Messy play significantly enhances your child’s sensory development. Squishing playdough, glitter glue, or even mud is a sensory explosion to their little minds. Encourage your children to explore outside when the weather is warmer, jump in puddles, and discover the natural world around them. Nature is filled with a variety of different textures and colors and makes the perfect backdrop to a creative learning experience. If you can’t go outside, then dedicate a small area of your home and teach your children when they can use that area and what they can use it for.
- Encourage Learning
Creative thinking is more of a learned behavior than it is a natural skill. Sure, some children are more inclined to prefer creative projects but that doesn’t mean that all children are not inherently capable of acquiring this trait. Encourage your children to learn new skills, especially if there is an area that they are showing an early interest in like music, for example.
- Use Playdough
Playdough is a remarkable invention for child development. Your child can learn so much through playing with these brightly colored lumps of creative potential. I used to love making miniatures when I was a child and the playdough helped me develop and enhance my fine motor skills at the same time as taking my creative thinking to new heights.
- Read Books Together
Reading is quite possibly the most well-known way to stimulate your child’s imagination. By encouraging imaginative play in new and exciting ways, you will give your child the ability to run with their newfound ideas by broadening their creative horizons. Studies have shown that reading enhances and improves brain function so let your child choose a new book to read every month. You should also be encouraging your child to read by themselves or with their siblings, they don’t always need to wait for you.
- Inspire Creative Thinking
Through motivation, praise, and encouragement, you can help your child harness their creative abilities over time. The key is to stay patient and always be prepared to assist if they need help. Learning to think outside of the box is just as important as teaching your children how to define the world around them. Always keep in mind that children need a supportive and structured environment to thrive and it is your job as their parent to provide them with the best opportunities to expand their minds.
