Creativity and its Importance for Child Development

By Rebecca Yee-Peters

Do you ever think to yourself, "I wish I could go back to being a kid". I catch myself thinking that every once in a while. We all have those memories of being a care free child with the whole world as a new and exciting adventure. The natural curiosity of children is something to be admired.

Along with this natural curiosity, children tend to truly enjoy being creative. Do you ever hear your kid in the next room playing with their toys? The worlds they come up with while playing are so inventive. Or have you ever sat and watched your child color on a blank sheet of paper? You may ask, "What are you making?" and they shrug. Until you mentioned it, they hadn't given it any thought. Little kids are masters of the moment.

Along with being masters of the moment, while doing various arts and crafts, they are using the three major developments of childhood.

Children can increase their artistic knowledge and skill while enhancing cognitive development when participating in arts and crafts. They can learn colors, values, shapes, and drawing while practicing critical thinking skills. Let your child find out what happens when they mix two primary colors together.

Emotional development involves learning what feelings and emotions are, understanding how and why they happen, recognizing one's own feelings and those of others, and developing effective ways of managing them. If your child has a hard time verbalizing their feelings, have them use art to express themselves in a healthy way. Valuing your children’s art and creativity will help them feel valued, increasing their self-worth and confidence.

Having your child involved in an art class will teach them how to socialize well with others. Most art classes for children require sharing of materials and space. This allows children to practice communication in a socially acceptable way. This refers to their social development.

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Here are 6 Ways to Inspire Creativity according to Parents.com

1. Prepare for a mess. Set up an art space where your kid can be free to experiment (and get messy!) Throw a drop cloth or a newspaper on top of your kitchen table or in the garage. If weather permits, let kids paint outside.

2. Avoid giving direction. Don't tell your kid what to make or how to make it. Instead of saying, "Paint a rainbow," encourage her to "experiment with mixing colors using different types of brushes and paper".

3. Speak specifically about art. When talking to your child about his artwork, try to be precise in your comments. For instance, instead of giving a generic compliment, "I see you used a lot of purple. Why did you choose that color?"

4. Explore your child's process. Often the best way to encourage conversation about your child's art is simply to say, "Tell me about what you made," or ask, "Did you have fun making it?"

5. Don't draw with your child. When parents draw something representational while a younger child is sketching, it can frustrate him. "It's better to be near him and let him know that you're interested and supportive of his art-making".

6. Let it be. When a child finishes a piece, don't suggest additions or changes. It's important for a child to feel that what she's created is enough -- even if it's just a dot on the page.

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