How to foster creativity in child’s development?

Some people might think that creativity is inborn, however, it is more skill that parents and teachers can foster. Creativity might be understood as a musical or artistic expression, but it is much more than that. This skill is essential to solve problems easily, it is vital for math, science, social and emotional intelligence. Creative people are more flexible, easier adapt to technological changes. Therefore it is important to foster this skill in child’s development.

It is widely believed by scientists that due to the endless stream of given characters, plots, plot-lines children’s creativity is put to the rest. That is why, parents and teachers should play a vital role in developing this skill in every child even the youngest one.

There are many ways to help children develop their creativity. Below you may find some ideas how to do that. 

 First of all, we should not focus on the final result of child’s work, instead of that it is better to concentrate on the process. It is better to ask a child (even a 2 year-old) what is in the picture instead of giving immediate feedback. Art projects should involve various materials. Every child should be able to make a different project out of given materials.

While doing some crafts, provide your child with many resources: various materials, chalk, crayons, paints, brushes, stamps made out of sponge or of potatoes cut in half. Do not limit your child, dirty hands and clothes are just a part of learning process. Unless you like mess everywhere, give your child a special place devoted to its projects.

Furthermore, allow your child to explore the world on its own, to develop its own interests, which can be later fostered by experiments etc. Let your child sometimes disagree with you, discuss different points of view, find out what your child thinks, encourage your child to find more than one solution to the problem. 

Everything has its limits, autonomy, exploring world etc. We should bear in mind that limits should be imposed reasonably. Too many constrains may lead to decrease of creativity, however, insufficient or no rules at all may have also negative impact on the development of your child. 

Below you may find some websites where you can find interesting crafts for your child.

http://www.education.com/activity/arts-and-crafts/

http://artfulparent.com/kids-arts-crafts-activities-500-fun-artful-things-kids

https://pl.pinterest.com/

Author: Patrycja - ukończyła lingwistykę stosowaną (kombinacja językowa: j. angielski oraz j. niemiecki) na Uniwersytecie Warszawskim.  Jest również absolwentką Wydziału Zarządzania Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.