Creativity isn’t a talent reserved for the lucky few, it’s an ability every child has. All it needs is a little bit of nurture to see it blossom.
We all know that kids love to be creative, making up games, telling stories and playing with toys, and if this creative desire is nourished throughout their childhood, you’ll be gifting them with the tools to use their imagination and think creatively throughout their later life.
But what are the best ways to stimulate your child’s imagination? Well, with a little imaginative thinking of your own, you can help them expand their creative abilities and have a lot of fun in the process.
Explore the unexplorable
There are two things which are sure to capture any child’s imagination: outer space, and the deep sea.
Since you can’t explore these places in person, get them to do it in their imagination. Ask them to draw what they think an alien might look like. Get them to tell you a story of what they might see if they could breathe underwater.
If you have the time and resources for a more in-depth activity, create a model of the solar system using Styrofoam balls, or visit an aquarium.
Custom diamond paintings
Craft kits help to stimulate children’s imaginations, while also tuning their fine motor skills and teaching them the satisfaction of creating something with their own two hands.
Custom diamond painting kits are a great way to keep your child engrossed in a creative activity. A mix between cross-stitch and paint by numbers, they use a special pen to place tiny rhinestones in the right place on a sticky canvas. You can get them versions that show their favourite animals, Disney characters, or even custom photos of people they know. Either way, they’ll feel immensely proud when they’re able to stick a sparkling artwork of their own making on their bedroom wall.
Cook with your kids
Children are often suspicious of food that’s presented to them, as any parent of fussy eaters will tell you.
Inviting your child into the kitchen takes the mystery out of food. Get them to help you make something, whether it’s a tray of muffins, pizza slices, or a full-blown meal. It’ll help them to think creatively, while also teaching them to problem solve and manage their time. It may be a more chaotic cooking experience for you, but what’s creativity without a little chaos?
Make art together
There’s more to teaching kids art than handing them a piece of paper and a pack of crayons (though that’s certainly a good place to start).
Show them the wide world of art and crafts by making art together. Use pipe cleaners and tissue paper to make flowers, create model towns out of Play Doh, or make decorative paper chains. It doesn’t need to be impressive or expensive to be valuable and fun.
If your child shows a passion for art, you can always foster it by signing them up for art classes after school.
Building toys
There’s a reason Lego is the most popular toy of all time. Providing kids with the time and freedom to play in whichever way they desire is an invaluable gift.
Building toys give them the freedom to indulge in their fantasies. Some kids will build houses for dolls and figures, others cars, or models of their favourite film and TV characters. There’s no wrong way to build, just as there’s no wrong way to be creative.
Storytelling
Reading and writing shouldn’t be confined to school. If you make stories part of your home life, you teach them not only how to read and write, but to love it too.
Try to read to your kids every day, choosing stories that excite them, even if they’re too complex for them to read on their own. If they’re bored, ask them to write you a story about something they’re interested in, or make up one together. There are dozens of ways to nourish creativity in your kids, and all of them will help make them a happier, more imaginative person.
