I didn’t start learning to really be creative until I was an adult. I feel like such a novice at it most of the time…but love exploring and tapping into new and different creative sides of me that I didn’t realize I had!
I really want to encourage my children to be creative as well because it will open up so many doors for them. I strive to find ways to let them be creative and the more I do; the more they continue to seek that creative side of themselves on their own!
Here are just a few ways that you can encourage and help your children learn to be creative:
*Keep a craft drawer or cupboard for them. Fill it with scrap paper, glue, scissors, glitter, felt, stickers, fabric, and more.
*Give them journals or notebooks. Encourage them to write stories, thoughts, sketch, etc.
*Have play dough, legos, etch-a-sketch, magna doodle and other toys that encourage them to create something from their imagination.
*Let your kiddos make puppets out of bags or old socks.
*Play games together that reinforce creativity…like charades, pictionary, scrabble, or Cranium.
*Sit down and draw together just for fun. Have everyone take turns telling everybody what he or she will draw and then have fun seeing each individual’s interpretation of how to draw the specified object.
*Invite your children to create their own “thank-you” cards or birthday invites.
*Save extra cardboard from boxes, inserts in calendars, etc and allow your children to paint on them.
*Purchase craft projects to work on – beads for beading, crochet, needlepoint, scrap booking, wood projects, etc and let them keep their own mini project center.
*Invite them to bake or cook with you in the kitchen. Let them create their own recipes on occasion.
*Go on nature walks and gather pebbles, sticks, leaves, pinecones, pussy willows and more to do projects with.
*Sidewalk chalk!
*Music instruments – try to have at least some in your home – maracas, keyboards, harmonicas, microphones, recorders, and bongos.
Have fun relishing in the joy that creativity will bring – not just for your kids – but for your whole family.
