4 Ways to Encourage Creativity in Children

1. Recognize and Understand the Nature of Creativity

According to Papalia and Olds (1993), "Creativity is the ability to see things in a new way, to see problems that no one else may even realize exist, and then come up with new, unique and effective solutions to these problems. Standard intelligence tests measure convergent thinking--the ability to come up with a single correct answer. But creativity involves divergent thinking--the ability to come up with new and unusual answers." Therefore, parents and teachers must strive to help children reach their creative potential, especially when academic performance appears lacking.

Unfortunately, educators sometimes mistake creativity for rebelliousness or stupidity, and then work to diminish these qualities by rejecting the usefulness of creative expression and focusing instead on scholastic aptitude. Worthington & Carruthers (2003) emphasize the danger of this mentality by pointing out that continued repression of children's creativity actually diminishes their capacity to be creative. Signs of impaired divergent thinking skills generally appear as early as the fourth grade.

The key to helping creative kids achieve their potential lies in understanding them. Young children explore, communicate and share ideas through unified affective and cognitive expressions. In other words, they operate by feeling what they think and thinking what they feel. The traits they display as a result of this unity include acceptance of disorder, vigorous disagreements with others, attraction to mysteries or puzzles, courageous risk-taking, playfulness, emotional sensitivity and perfectionism. Other important cues to watch for are curiosity, flexibility, originality and insight.

2. Provide a Creative Environment

Provide an appropriate space for youths to stretch their intellectual muscles. This area should primarily focus on stimulation. Fill the child’s bedroom or classroom with a variety of games, books, textures, colors and interactive fixtures. Once this is accomplished, educators can encourage the child to explore the world, and then assist him with creatively processing each new discovery.

Two crucial aspects of an effective environment are space and climate. Provide the child with his own personal work space where he can leave unfinished tasks for completion another day, if necessary. Lighting should be soft and natural. Desks and chairs should be colorful and child-sized. Furthermore, examples of the child’s creative works should be prominently displayed on the room’s walls and furnishings. Showcasing the work of other children or even major artists is also important for sparking imaginative expression. Climate addresses the atmosphere of the environment and is more psychological in nature. Teachers who foster a creative environment are encouraging, accepting of mistakes, quick to praise innovation and tolerant of noise or messes.

3. Emphasize the Importance of Art and Spontaneity

Creativity is heightened whenever a child experiences an intense or arousing encounter with something new in her world. Educational television shows or movies, field trips and real-life observations of objects, plants and animals all serve as springboards for creative expression.

Sharp (2001) found that creative arts serve to enhance children’s listening, problem solving, critical reading and writing skills. In addition, the arts engage children’s kinesthetic and cognitive experiences, amplifying concrete as well as abstract learning abilities. Tacker and Tracey (1998) report that music education is therapeutic because it raises self-esteem while honing creativity, offering children an avenue for expressing their emotions in nonverbal ways.

4. Use a Variety of Activities and Learning Materials

Educators act as creative guides by listening carefully, observing a child’s emotional cues, encouraging work and being cautious not to interfere. Discussions should be open-ended and they should incorporate creative expression with other subjects such as math, science and social studies. In this way, children begin to see relationships between the things they are learning and are able to draw upon multiple sources when developing creative solutions.

Couple hands-on activities with thought-provoking questions such as "What would happen if dogs could talk?" Another type is a "how-many-different-ways" question. Ask "How many different ways can a button be used?" and then pass around a button and allow the children to play with the concept. Some educators give children puppets, asking them create a story by building upon the ideas expressed by the puppets of other children. Similarly, role-playing helps children explore their feelings and understand the viewpoints of others. Materials such as paper, writing tools, blocks, beads, sculpting clay, paint, shells, stones and other common household items are useful for stirring creative impulses. Common activities include construction, painting, music, dramatic play, dance and telling imaginative stories.

Finally, give the child some room. Creativity cannot be rushed or artificially forced into existence. Parents and educators must be diligent but also patient. If a child says "I can't," the best response is "I'd like for you to try." In most instances, children will naturally model the behavior of their teachers and peers. If the educator is making creative works alongside other children then even reluctant youths are likely to be swept up in the group's enthusiasm.