How to foster creativity in your children from a young age

Right from the womb, we rely on our senses as our first points of contact with the outside world. As toddlers and children actively engage with their senses of touch, smell, hearing, sight, taste, movement, and balance to learn and process new experiences, they form the foundation of their cognitive development. The more sensory input they receive, the more they are allowed to explore and figure things out on their own, leading to the growth of new and stronger brain connections.

Whether it’s letting them sing and dance to music, play with building blocks, or get messy with finger paints, feeding your child’s curiosity by introducing sensory-rich activities into their daily routine can do wonders for unlocking creativity—not to mention, helping cultivate motor strength and dexterity!

While there is certainly a time and place for rules and instructions in play, over-direction can be stifling for creativity. Instead of focusing on achieving specific learning objectives during playtime and steering your children’s play in a prescribed manner, try taking a step back sometimes and letting them follow their own agenda. You’ll be surprised by the imaginative ideas they can bring to life with basic materials like playdough, dolls, and art supplies!

Open-ended, child-led play is a fantastic way to nurture’s your little one’s sense of wonder, giving them space to stretch their minds beyond the confines of pre-set instructions and discover their interests. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t participate at all—it’s equally important for parents to play a supportive role, attuning to their kids’ playing process, pace, and learning modalities!

Creative expression comes most naturally when children are in a space where they are not only stimulated, but also feel comfortable and confident. Both social and physical environments can impact how children grow creatively, so it is important to set up a positive and safe space for them to exercise their imagination.

Fostering a sense of belonging is key to helping them engage and express themselves more freely. Parents can further build up their children’s confidence in individual expression by showing appreciation for their creative endeavours and allowing them to make mistakes in the process. Conversely, over-correction risks quashing their desire to take risks and experiment with new ideas.

Creative and social development exist in mutual concord, often working in tandem to bolster one another. Just like how group activities inspire creativity by providing more scenarios, perspectives, and possible resolutions for children to contemplate; engaging in a creative task with others is also conducive to strengthening bonds and honing socio-interpersonal skills. Plus, it simply makes playtime a whole lot more fun! So turn up the music and put on a group dance party or let your kids act out a made-up story with their friends!