2023 Author: Anita Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-22 03:30
“Imagination is more important than knowledge,” Einstein said. Imagination is a great tool and above all an assurance that our child will never run out of ideas and resources.
Freedom
Creativity allows children – as well as adults – to approach new realities with more confidence. Indeed, imagination helps children find ingenious solutions to problems and above all allows them the freedom to choose between an easier path or inventing something completely innovative, wacky and original.
We give our child the freedom to experiment with their creativity in different ways (music, art, writing, lyrics, sport, etc.). Also, when we create a drawing with him, we don't tell him what to do. We don't dictate a course of action, we let it go. His work will be very experimental, but will reflect his ideas and his experiments!
Let's play
With new ideas sprouting in their heads at breakneck speed, we are also certain that our children will not be powerless in the face of life. We know them, thus, capable of inventing games and stories. Creativity is not just about DIYspectacular; it is a way of thinking, a way of seeing the world and of using our personal resources (including our intelligence) in a sometimes unconventional way. With creativity, anything becomes possible!
We play different games, of course! But with words, sounds, music, textures, etc. To be in a creative mode, you need to be in the same spirit as when you play: you surrender to pleasure, spontaneity and experience.
Encouragement
Creativity is therefore a skill that anyone can acquire and develop. Without creativity in our lives, everything would be repetition. Bringing change, progress, a wind of madness and new ideas, that's what makes you feel alive and stand out.
Children need to be encouraged, not constantly judged or graded. When they carry out a personal project, we highlight what they have done. We display their drawing on a wall (some decide that the wall of the staircase leading to the basement is the children's museum, for example!). You can even scan your drawings and have them printed as 8X10 photos to make a souvenir book.
Time
There is no set time to harness creativity. During the execution of a recipe, we realize that we have no more cinnamon. Good time to harness our own creativity to deal with this problem. We get our children involved and we ask them to find, with us, a spice that could replace it. We will feel thesmall jars of spices together. So, no time limit to exploit our creativity, just wake it up. But also, there is no point in imposing on children a period of forced creativity. Instead, focus on spontaneity.
Trigger the imagination
When we read a story to children, we stop in the middle of the book and we simply ask them how they imagine the rest. We let them go to an imaginary world. We could do the same thing with a film. But it is more likely to be discussed at the end so as not to break the rhythm, but it is not impossible!
Experiment
Trying, tempting, and of course, making mistakes are part of our learning to be creative. Children are allowed to experiment without telling them the result in advance ("No, honey, red and black won't make a bright color…it might come out very dark!").
Madness
Children love to laugh. When they "let go" of their crazy, they become less shy and more willing to engage in creativity. We allow them to be less serious! We drop the limits to explore all the possibilities available to us.
Daily
Sometimes there is a misconception that creative experimentation takes a long time to prepare. It is up to us adults to seize the “opportunities for creativity”. A walk in the woods? We can take the opportunity to invent a ditty, pick up objects to create a DIY on our return or imagine astory that takes place in this place.
Variety
There's no need to empty an art store to stock up on craft supplies. We collect corks, boxes, dishes and cardboard. We go to Dollarama where we can make fabulous finds. We put all the equipment in a large bin that we can take out (and therefore put away!) quickly. Everything is at hand when the desire takes us to create!
Idea catchers
For our children to be creative, we must be too. We have to keep our senses awake and see all the possibilities. The web is full of very interesting blogs where mothers (especially!) share the activities carried out with their children. We have the right to imitate them and be inspired by what they have done! Many websites also offer us crafts, ideas and imaginative outings.
