{"id":7144,"date":"2021-04-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-26T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/why-creativity-is-important-for-kids\/"},"modified":"2023-02-08T11:37:24","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T11:37:24","slug":"why-creativity-is-important-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fitroots.co.uk\/why-creativity-is-important-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Creativity Is Important For Kids & How It Gets Crushed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ever wonder why the previous generation just knew how to raise kids?<\/p>\n

Nowadays everything feels like a challenge despite the endless parenting blogs, forums and community groups you follow.<\/p>\n

It just isn\u2019t\u00a0enough,\u00a0it\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0work\u00a0and you\u2019re left back at square 1.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not that\u00a0our parents, or\u00a0grandparents\u00a0knew better, they just had fewer options.<\/p>\n

Child downtime was part of life, they didn\u2019t have all the\u00a0activities,\u00a0extra curricular\u00a0and training apps we have today.\u00a0\u00a0Today, boredom and downtime are synonymous with, \u201cI\u2019m a bad parent and not doing enough to get my kid ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inventiveness occurs when kids have time for curiosity and exploration.<\/p>\n

Read more about \u2018How\u00a0To\u00a0Encourage Curiosity\u00a0In\u00a0Your Child\u2019\u00a0here .<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

With children\u00a0chatting online until the early hours, playing games with friends\u00a0half-way\u00a0around the world, and all their\u00a0extra\u00a0curricular\u00a0activities,\u00a0free time, and\u00a0opportunities for growth are\u00a0non-existent.\u00a0where would any child find time for that?<\/p>\n

What we\u2019re not so sure about is how to get our kids to\u00a0want<\/i>\u00a0the free, screenless time we know will benefit them.<\/p>\n

It may sound counter-intuitive but today\u2019s kids (and, frankly, many of us) need coaching to experience and discover the benefits of free time\u00a0for creativity.<\/p>\n

Remember they’re less likely to do what you say, and more likely to follow what you do.<\/p>\n

So get your creative hat on and have some (screenless) fun.<\/p>\n

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Why are children more creative than adults?<\/h2>\n

The advantage children have over adults is that to them, anything is possible. They don\u2019t yet know what\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0<\/i>be done.<\/p>\n

Young children get praise, and encouragement from their parents and teachers, for\u00a0the\u00a0imaginative stories or\u00a0strange\u00a0pieces of art\u00a0to do.<\/p>\n

They have heard tales of magic and they see technology doing all sorts of amazing things.\u00a0 As far as they are concerned every problem can be solved, that\u2019s what their hopeful minds see every day.<\/p>\n

What kills creativity in adults?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

Adults on the\u00a0other hand, understand failure, they may have been kicked down by it.<\/p>\n

We\u00a0often know what can\u2019t be achieved because we\u2019ve tried already.<\/p>\n

We\u00a0are\u00a0familiar with restrictive rules, red tape,\u00a0rejections, failures and humiliations. At some\u00a0point we have all\u00a0worked for a difficult boss who was not interested in ideas \u2013 just in getting the job done on time.<\/p>\n

Of course\u00a0every invention and innovation\u00a0has\u00a0to exist in a world of constraints. But if we start by imagining an\u00a0ideal solution\u00a0then\u00a0work\u00a0back to overcome or accommodate restrictions,\u00a0then we will have a better chance of success than if we start with all the obstacles in clear view.<\/p>\n

To be creative think like a child; you did it all the time once so now do it again.<\/p>\n

How Creativity gets crushed<\/h3>\n

Has modern society really extinguished the creative spark among our youth?<\/p>\n

Many experts say that creativity can\u2019t be lost, but it does need to be nurtured in order to flourish.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/i>– Aristotle\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The current focus on\u00a0testing in schools,\u00a0ingrains\u00a0the\u00a0philosophy\u00a0of a\u00a0strict \u2018right\u00a0or\u00a0wrong\u2019\u00a0which is not decided by the individual.<\/p>\n

How does the syllabus\u00a0regulate creativity,\u00a0and\u00a0formularise\u00a0how \u2018good\u2019\u00a0someone’s\u00a0expression of self is through their art, music, dance, critical\u00a0thinking\u00a0\u00a0etc.<\/p>\n

The idea that there is only one right answer to a question, may be\u00a0damaging the\u00a0development of\u00a0creativity\u00a0among\u00a0children.\u00a0There’s not much room for unexpected, divergent thought.<\/p>\n

Everything is preset, everyone therefore is on the same journey, rather than their own.<\/p>\n

Experts agree changes can be made in the classroom to cultivate creativity.<\/p>\n

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Why is\u00a0Creativity\u00a0Important for\u00a0Child\u00a0Development?<\/h2>\n

From the time we\u2019re children, we\u2019re taught that creativity is only for some people, or that it\u2019s something you lose as you grow older. It\u2019s considered fanciful, rather than intrinsic to good design, and even business.<\/p>\n

To us, it\u2019s the most important part of what we do, and helps us open our minds to discovering new solutions to tough problems.<\/p>\n

10 reasons why\u00a0Creativity\u00a0is Important<\/h3>\n
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  1. Creativity engages the mind.<\/li>\n
  2. Creativity enables alternative ways of thinking.<\/li>\n
  3. Creativity connects us to ourselves\u00a0& others.<\/li>\n
  4. Creativity\u00a0helps with problem solving & overcoming\u00a0challenges.<\/li>\n
  5. Creativity allows us to view and solve problems more openly and with innovation.<\/li>\n
  6. Creativity nurtures confidence.<\/li>\n
  7. Creativity builds confidence. When they are confident, young people are less easily influenced by\u00a0others<\/li>\n
  8. Creativity instills curiosity.<\/li>\n
  9. Creativity supports resilience.<\/li>\n
  10. When engaging with creativity, young people are not passively listening\/absorbing, but are exploring, discovering and communicating. It can support young people to be more active and present as members of society.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    4 Ways to Encourage your child to be more Creative<\/h2>\n

    Many believe the best way to encourage children\u2019s creativity is simply to get out of the way and let them be creative.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    It\u2019s certainly true that children are naturally curious and inquisitive, but they need support to develop their creative minds and potential. It is always a balancing act between how much structure, and how much freedom.<\/p>\n

    Therefore it is your job to guide them, without telling them what to do, think and feel.<\/p>\n

    You can do this by setting the right environment and giving them creative opportunities.<\/p>\n

    Tip #1\u00a0Spend time\u00a0outdoors<\/h2>\n

    It\u2019s not so easy to quantify the benefits of nature for children. Simply put, immersing your child in nature can help them understand the world and their place in it.<\/p>\n

    They learn that\u00a0life is ever changing as they experience\u00a0the seasons\u00a0pass, changing how things look, feel, smell, taste AND feel.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s truly extraordinary, and almost magical for us adults, think about what possibilities it creates in the minds of children.<\/p>\n

    The simple act of watching how a seed can grow into a tree, which then gives fruit that animals can eat\u00a0will\u00a0teach your child about change, growth, patience…the list really does go on.<\/p>\n

    Nature is ever changing, it provides countless opportunities for discovery, creativity, and problem solving. The natural world inspires children to think, question, make stories, and develop their creative minds.<\/p>\n

    Children can draw in sand, make designs with twigs, build forts with branches, or simply lie on the ground and look up at the sky.<\/p>\n

    It makes me wonder why we don\u2019t all spend more time outside.<\/p>\n

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    Tip #2\u00a0Ask open\u00a0questions<\/h2>\n

    Asking questions that provoke imaginative and creative thinking.<\/p>\n

    This will\u00a0invite your child to express\u00a0their\u00a0ideas and share\u00a0their\u00a0visions, while giving the message that\u00a0their\u00a0ideas are important.<\/p>\n

    Have conversations beyond asking them how their day was, this does not encourage creative thinking. The response is likely to be fine, or ok. And\u00a0that might be where the conversation ends.<\/p>\n

    Encourage your child’s Creativity with these questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n