How to Encourage Creativity

Engaging in creative activities allows children to develop their imaginations. It can also help build confidence by making it easier to express opinions and generate new ideas. Instilling children with a creative spirit gives them a way to escape negative feelings and deal with boredom. Encouraging creativity involves displaying your thirst for adventure, sparking the same enthusiasm in your children.

Instructions

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      Play games that focus on and reward imagination. This helps children break away from rigidly adhering to predetermined rules. While children need to learn when following guidance is necessary, they also need to learn how to present original ideas. Spending time playing games such as charades encourages creativity. Ask children to make up original games and to modify the rules of existing games.

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      Demonstrate your creative spirit. Although "cubicle life" may affect your fun meter, encouraging creativity requires you to overcome monotonous thinking. Children look to authority figures for examples of how to stay motivated and creative. Find ways to express your creativity such as dressing in an expressive manner, painting abstract art and engaging in spontaneous dancing sessions. Showing children that it's acceptable to let loose empowers them to break away from shyness and inhibition.

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      Take the emphasis off winning and place it on having fun. Ensure that children understand that creating artistic masterpieces isn't a requirement for producing a special piece. This allows children to enjoy themselves without worrying that their ideas or creations aren't "good enough." Displaying crafts in prominent locations gives children an ego boost. Take time to point out improvements and comment on special abilities.

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      Ask children probing questions to encourage freethinking and expression. Challenging children to explain their reasoning leads to self-confident, creative thinkers. Examples include asking children about their favorite movie scenes and asking them to explain why they dislike specific foods. Refrain from requesting information that can be summed up with a simple one-word answer or head nod. Avoid questions in a demanding or angry tone, as this can destroy confidence.

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      Find ways to inject excitement into routine events. Make chores more exciting by playing music or by turning tasks into games. For example, trying to "beat the clock" while sweeping the floor, or turning clothes-folding into a competition, allows children to escape boredom. Taking different paths to the bus stop or singing a different song before bedtime encourages children to stay creative. Avoid submitting to mundane routines that discourage creativity.

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