What are the origins of this fun-filled festive custom?
There’s so much more to a child’s fun and games than meets the eye. While making a blanket fort or playing with an imaginary friend, a child is also developing essential skills that will benefit them as they grow.
Open-ended toys are a solid investment because they hold greater potential for creativity. For example, blocks, Lego, Play-Doh, and dress-up clothes can all be used in different ways, unlike a puzzle or game that has one way to play and one outcome.
While it's easier said than done, try not to stress about the mess. Teaching them to clean up after their playtime can be another valuable lesson, but allowing them as much freedom (and mess) as possible while they play and create is important.
As they play, they learn problem-solving, collaborate with others, and think in new, inventive ways. This helps them develop empathy and social skills.
Encourage them to experiment and embrace their ideas. Try to avoid offering suggestions or improvements, and if you're creating something with them, don't compare their art to yours.
We can apply creativity to all walks of life, and there are many ways to encourage creativity in a child’s way of thinking. Click on to learn more about incorporating imaginative play and thinking into their daily lives.
What if your child isn’t interested in drawing, writing, or musical instruments? Not to worry—creativity isn’t about perfecting an artistic skill per se. It’s about approaching the world with a sense of adventure.
Children who express their creativity have been shown to have lower levels of stress and anxiety, greater emotional intelligence, and higher self-esteem. Not only is creative play enjoyable and satisfying in itself, it helps them excel in many other areas of their lives.
See also: Telltale signs of a gifted child
We often think of indoor activities when it comes to being creative, but there are abundant ways to be creative out in nature. Take the kids camping or just for a day in the park, and allow them to explore the natural world.
Creativity also helps children feel more confident and reduce stress. Expressing themselves freely builds a sense of identity and boosts self-esteem.
When infants play and express their creativity, it helps them to develop their motor skills; improving their balance, hand-eye coordination, and spatial depth. It also boosts their sensory perception as they explore new sights, sounds, textures, and smells.
Being outdoors creates many opportunities for them to use their minds in different ways and practice creative problem-solving. Perhaps you could organize a scavenger hunt for them and see how they figure out clues.
"The goal is not for our kids to make a perfect muffin or scarf or origami swan,” Skenazy points out. “The goal is for them to figure some things out, take small risks, maybe even do something a whole new (and messy) way. The result may be a very lumpy whatever. But it is theirs, and they are on the journey of discovery, trial, error, and excitement."
There are countless ways to combine nature and art, too. They can collect leaves and other fallen pieces of greenery to create collages or little figurines. Let them explore and ask open-ended questions about how they might interact and play with the environment around them.
You don't have to teach your kids how to be an artist to inspire their creativity. You can encourage them in small ways every day by encouraging them to be curious and asking them questions that help them think outside the box.
When playing with your child, you might ask them, "What do you think would happen if we added water to the clay?" or simply, "How can we do this differently?" Afterward, challenge them to think about why they did something a certain way.
Unplugging allows them more time to develop and explore their own interests and identity.
Children naturally spend more time around screens these days. There are many games and TV shows that can spark their imaginations, but it's essential that they have time away from screens in order to explore their own creativity.
When praising their creations, be specific about what you liked rather than giving a vague compliment. Share the artwork, stories, or plays with a wider audience such as friends and family members.
You don't have to spend a ton at expensive craft stores either. Hang onto things like boxes, toilet paper rolls, and scraps of fabric from old clothes to make up a box of craft supplies with endless possibilities.
There are several fun activities you can start with your kids that give them plenty of freedom to use their imaginations and get creative. Give them three photos of people and three photos of locations taken from the internet or magazines. Ask them to think about who the people are and what is going on in the photos.
It’s important to let them choose their own adventure during this time without expressing judgement or interfering, even with the best of intentions. "When we swoop in on whatever it is our kids are doing—to help them, enrich them, teach them—we are taking what was their project and making it ours. That is deflating," says Lenore Skenazy, author and advocate for free-range parenting.
Many creative activities that involve imagination, as well as singing, dancing, and drama, don't necessarily require any tools. But for craftier activities, it's a good idea to have plenty of paper, paints, and crayons on hand.
Role-play or make-believe games are based on imagination alone, so they're the ideal creative outlet for a child. You can throw them a suggestion and a few imaginative props to get them started.
Whether it be a tiny house for their toys or a bigger construction they can actually crawl inside, why not encourage them to make a house out of cardboard boxes and other recycled materials? They can customize it in any way they like by painting it and adding a trapdoor! Challenge them to think about how they can make it sturdy, who might visit the house, and what features they might need.
You might suggest they imagine they're living in a mystical castle (built out of couch cushions and blankets), or are working in a kitchen or shop.
Many experts believe that unstructured playtime is essential for a child’s development. When they’re totally free to express themselves in any manner they want, it helps them release tension and stress.
As we all learned during the pandemic, being creative in the same environment can become boring for kids. Change up their surroundings whenever possible. For example, you might take them to a museum with sketchbooks for drawing, or encourage them to come up with stories about what's happening in the paintings.
Finally, challenge them to come up with a story based on these mysterious photographs.
We tend to assign creativity to certain people and not to others, as if it's something you're born with and can't be taught. The reality is, however, that we are all capable of fostering creativity in ourselves and others, particularly children. Kids can exercise their creativity and imagination in countless ways, from art to music and play. It helps them to develop socially, emotionally, and academically, so it's just as important to encourage them to play and create as it is to make sure they're doing their homework and finishing their chores.
Click through the following gallery to learn more about the role creativity plays in your child's development and how you can nurture this aspect of them.
How to nurture your child’s creativity
Carers play a huge role in developing a child's creative skills
LIFESTYLE Parenting
We tend to assign creativity to certain people and not to others, as if it's something you're born with and can't be taught. The reality is, however, that we are all capable of fostering creativity in ourselves and others, particularly children. Kids can exercise their creativity and imagination in countless ways, from art to music and play. It helps them to develop socially, emotionally, and academically, so it's just as important to encourage them to play and create as it is to make sure they're doing their homework and finishing their chores.
Click through the following gallery to learn more about the role creativity plays in your child's development and how you can nurture this aspect of them.