7 ways to inspire children to think creatively

Imagination and creativity rule the world as these are some of the very few skills which cannot be delegated to any robot or AI and nobody can take this away from you.

Creativity, generating ideas and analytical thinking are some of the blessings we have as human beings. Children are born curious who always love to explore various things. Our role as parents and educators is to facilitate and create the fertile ground for the child to think out of the box as this cannot be spoon fed.

Are you stuck in the belief that some people are born creative and some aren’t? Let us burst that bubble first: Creativity is something which we cultivate in a child or an adult with the practice of certain techniques and having a particular skill set.

Below are 7 practical ways to inspire your child to think creatively:

1. Spending time in nature:

Staring at the sky full of stars, mountains, clouds, flowers, playing with pet animals or anything relating to nature gives children or adults a feeling of calm, makes you rejuvenated and refreshed. Its said that in this state of mind a chemical called Dopamine is released in us which a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This feel good chemical sparks creativity.

Also, from the beginning of time man has learnt from nature which has helped in inventing many things from the aeroplane to the ship etc. When a child is in nature they observe and grasp what they see by auto this helps them to think innovatively.

One added benefit of nature is it reduces screen time and dependency on digital media.

2. Encouraging to ask questions:

Why is the sky blue? Why fish can swim in water and not walk on land? How do we get rain?

Encouraging children to ask various questions in varied situations fosters them to think and analyse which helps them to improve their problem-solving ability.

Questions spark curiosity, enhance the analytical thinking in a child, improve understanding, get clarity and not be confused.

Questioning is a very crucial ingredient in overall learning, growth and intellectual development.

3. Taking part in extra-curricular activities:

Arts, crafts, learning to play a musical instrument, playing a sport, rearing a pet, dancing, singing etc have immense benefits on a child’s development.

These activities boost their confidence, encourage them to think different, use all their 5 senses, explore various activities and build leadership qualities.

In some kid’s extra-curricular activities have also helped in boosting their academic performance.

Overall, these activities help in thinking creatively, being a strategist, developing resilience and enhancing problem solving capabilities.

4. Giving constructive feedback and no criticism:

A child is innocent, new to many things and he / she is trying to make sense of all the things / activities around them which is quite overwhelming.

When children come up to you as parents or educators your job is to be patient and give constructive feedback.

This helps the child to be confident, gives them the supportive space to flower naturally and gain trust.

Giving constructive and positive feedback to the child and explaining to them the areas for improvement, specific behaviours that need change and never being negative or judgemental with them.

We as parents and educators need to understand they are young minds who are just getting moulded, any small or adverse reaction we give can impact them for life too.

5. Introducing them to wide variety of materials:

Children must touch and feel various mediums like mud, water, grass, sand, flowers, clay, slime, crayons, paint etc.

This helps them to explore different things in the world and enjoy various textures and colours.

Giving them some things like for example cardboard, colours, pipes, papers and encouraging them to make something out of it.

Such activities boost their creative thinking skills and improves mental flexibility.

6. Rewards system:

In today’s world children are exposed to various objects like gadgets, toys, games etc, the number of options which are available now were never there for any of the previous generations.

Seeing their peers, online, in cartoons children ask parents to buy all such things. In such situations a great hack is to give the child activities or tasks to do and upon completion of the task only they get their reward.

This helps them to understand nothing comes for free, they need to earn and work for their prizes.

This acts as a motivator for the child to think out of the box and come up with solutions to earn what they ask for.

7. Storytelling:

Stories are a great way to inspire children to think, imagine, ideate and innovate.

Some tips for encouraging story telling are by giving a set of words and asking the child to make a story using those words, showing them a picture or an object and make a story out of it, show them a story and ask them what changes would they make to the story or to come up with a entire new version of the story they saw.

Encouraging a child for storytelling early on helps them to be confident communicators, express themselves freely and think of various possibilities.

Why being creative is so important:

1. Creativity and critical thinking are connected. These are the two skills which can never be replaced by a computer or AI.

2. It boosts confidence.

3. Makes them resilient and gives them the capability to pave a way for them and not wait for someone to do it.

4. Creativity is independence. As a creative person is always thinking of possibilities and solutions.

5. It helps a child to innovate which in turn reflects in their academics and all other areas.

6. Creativity gives a new perspective, helps in seeing the world through a broader lens.

7. Makes you mentally flexible and builds your cognition.

8. With creativity the child develops a strong problem-solving capacity.

9. Creativity encourages the child to be original and not copy.

10. Gives them the capability to adopt and evolve in any situation.

Hence, creativity is extremely essential and crucial for the holistic development of a child. As parents and educators please remember your only the facilitator, so encourage your children to be creative by providing the platform or the necessary equipment’s. The process of creativity prepares and equips the child to be ready for their life to kiss the world.

Check out the various courses we offer at Bambinos where the child goes on a magical adventure of learning where the curriculum is adopted to individual needs with educators facilitating children to think out of the box.

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Article Author

Gayatri Gade

Gayatri Gade is a skilled teacher committed to improving students' communication skills and confidence. She helps them express ideas clearly and persuasively, tailoring guidance to each child's nature and goals. Gayatri encourages creativity, nurtures individuality, and provides a patient and supportive learning environment.

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