I hope you are enjoying/surviving the holidays so far! Someone asked me what creativity was the other day. Creativity is sometimes viewed as something you have or don’t have, like a gift that was bestowed on the lucky few. We express this when we talk about ‘creative talent’ that implies it is an innate quality and not a skill to be learned.
We are all born creative and yet as we grow up it is easy to forget this as opportunities for creativity start to diminish. When you see that creativity is linked to our health and happiness as well as being an essential skill for social situations, emotional intelligence, problem solving and self-expression, why do we neglect this side of our development?
So here are 5 top tips to help develop and keep your child’s creative spark…
1) Let them get bored once in a while
Nowadays the pressure to keep children entertained for every moment of every day is very real. Creativity needs space to grow and a little bit of boredom stimulates this. It allows for them to invent their own games or activities that interest them. This skill is so valuable and with it, boredom will be a thing of the past!
2) Celebrate mistakes
The biggest barrier to creativity is often the fear of failure. Almost every person who has succeeded in a creative activity from a painting to a dance (or even maths and science!) needed to fail along the way in order to adapt what they are doing for success. So the next time your child makes what they perceive to be a mistake give them a high five as they are one step closer to succeeding!
3) Open ended activities
Allow opportunities for open ended activities where the outcome isn’t always planned. So instead of sitting down to draw a rabbit or make a mask, simply provide the materials and sit back. Experimenting with their artwork or other creation is essential for creativity and encourages them to take risks. With risks may also come failure but that is cool right? (another high five!)
4) Focus on process not end result (try to stop caring about what your child creates)
Creativity is a process which sometimes creates something that you find beautiful and sometimes not. However it is the process that is important. I have seen parents correct a child’s drawing or try to help them make the collage look nicer and all this does is give the child the sense that there is a right and a wrong way of doing things. At GO SKETCH we often say that there is no such thing as ‘good art’ and ‘bad art’ as all art is subjective. Instead ask them questions about the process ‘how did you make that colour?’ ‘Which was the best bit?’ ‘Which bit was tricky and how did you work out a way to do it?’
5) Lead by example
How many times have you heard the words ‘My child is so creative, I don’t know where she gets it from!’ or ‘I can’t draw’ from a parent? I hear this all the time. It is important that children see you being creative and giving it a go. How could you improve your confidence in drawing or dancing or creating? Learn something new and share your ‘failures’ and how you overcame them. Take risks yourself and the rewards will be great for you and your child!
If you want to improve your families creative confidence this summer, why not join our online Art Quest? 12 video challenges for only £6.99 with the code SUMMER (usually £14)
See here to join the fun: www.gosketchclub.com
You can also have look at the initial introduction and preparation videos before you buy to get an idea of what its all about and what the lessons involve. Just sign in, click on the course and select the available videos to view on the left hand side.
Let’s get creative!
Emma 🙂
