Encouraging creativity can be vital to a child’s growth and development, helping to develop their fine motor skills and control. Helping children learn their abilities to engage in play and art can aid in their growth emotionally, socially, and physically. Brain growth and development are key parts that go on during these stages of their life; participating in activities that support creativity can help tremendously in supporting these steps in life.
Parents or guardians can encourage and support creative thought by providing the following through multiple different outlets.
• Offering specific time for imaginative and fantasy play
• Providing Choices
• Stimulation through movement
• Encourage group work
• Encouraging independent work to help build initiative skills for the child.
Helping to encourage and support creative thought with kids also can help express individual expression. Kids express what they see and hear in the world through their artwork or play, as each act can be free of expression and can be done free of ideas and emotions. Simple activities such as playing with paint, sand, crayons/chalk, water, or fun textures such as play dough, goop, or slime can be not only a learning experience but a fun experience. Living in a world that is filled with a quick click and a search, things can be found in an instant on places such as Google and Pinterest that can be of interest and fuel creativity for you and your child. Providing children the chance to create, allowing them to grow and explore their world in a way that can only benefit them in the future.
By Anisa Jalil, LMSW, Mental Health Specialist
