Creative Development of Your Child

Everyone is naturally creative. It’s the ability to let your imagination run free, to (day)dream about a world with talking animals, to take on new challenges and discover what works – and what doesn’t. Getting stuck in, experimenting and seeing what happens. When you encourage creative development from an early age, your child benefits for life.

Why Encourage Those Creative Urges?

• A Gym Workout for the Brain. Creative activities give your child’s brain a power boost. That’s because both hemispheres are activated: the left side, which deals with logic and detail, and the right side – the epicentre of imagination and possibilities.
• Improved Concentration and Focus. When children immerse themselves in drawing, crafting or dancing, they become fully present in the moment. This strengthens their attention span. The more often they practise this, the greater their ability to stay focused for longer periods.
• Greater Self-Confidence. Creative activities stimulate the frontal cortex – the brain’s command centre. This boosts perseverance and self-confidence, which soars when your child realises they can create or solve something on their own. (Read here how to boost your child’s self-confidence.)
• Better Motor Skills. Using pencils, brushes and materials like clay improves fine motor skills, while cutting or painting strengthens gross motor skills. Picking up small objects and kneading clay also enhances hand-eye coordination.

Tips for Home

Want to spark that creative flame at home? Here are some adventurous tips from our pedagogical professionals:

• There’s no right or wrong. This can be encouraged with open-ended toys – toys that can be played with in different ways and don’t have a fixed purpose. They’re versatile and inspire your child to use their imagination. Think of bowls, blocks, lids and stepping stones.
• Experimenting is learning. Not everything works out the first time. Teach your child that trying is part of the process. It doesn’t have to be perfect straight away. In fact, mistakes help us learn – experimenting is essential for growth. When your child understands that it’s okay if something doesn’t work immediately, it becomes easier to try again or come up with a new plan.
• Lead by example. The more creative and open the environment, the freer your child will feel. Creativity is all about letting your imagination run wild. Do things a little differently now and then. Colour the sun purple when you’re drawing together. Or go outside and pretend you’re birds. Just make sure you don’t actually try to fly!
• Stay in the background. As a parent, you naturally want to help your child with everything. That’s understandable, but sometimes it’s good to step back a little. This gives your child the freedom to discover how things work and make their own choices – without having to meet expectations every time.
• Praise the process. Focus on the process rather than the end result. Encourage your child while they’re busy creating. For example: “I can see you’re using lots of colours – blue, red and green!” Keep it positive and without judgement.