How to Recognize Creativity in Children

Creativity is at the heart of each of our children. They are a masterpiece of ideas, interests, and individuality. With such diversity in their passions however, how do we recognize what creativity in children truly looks like?

 

 

Recognize Creativity in Children

 

See your child, or another little one in your life, and imagine them in their element.

 

What is it that they love? How do they express themselves?

 

Maybe they are building with Lego and designing a castle for the King and his family to protect them from the dragon.

 

Perhaps you see them at the art easel, happily immersed in the feeling of their paintbrush as it flows across the paper, filling it with glorious colours.

 

They are setting up an imaginary world of cars and construction vehicles, each in its own place with its own special job.

 

They are dancing to music, feeling the sound filling the room and floating over their tiny body, as their feet pound the ground in a rhythm that brings joy and delight.

 

They are making lunch for their siblings. They are carefully deciding what to place on each plate, what to spread on the crackers today, which fruit to slice, and which colour of cup each sibling should receive.

 

Your child is dressing as a pirate and setting sail in his ship (i.e. tree house).

 

She is creating new games with the jump ropes and balls in the sports equipment box you keep on the deck.

 

Your toddler is piling his crackers and bananas together on his plate, and exclaiming with glee at the tower he has designed.

 

Your children have collaborated with the neighbours to make “soup” in the sandbox, with grass clippings as vegetables and rocks for potatoes.

 

They are laying in the grass, pointing out various shapes and characters in the clouds above.

 

They are spending hours of their summer building a tree house from scrap wood, learning to handle a saw, and perfecting their hammering skills.

 

Do you see it?

 

Do you see the creativity?

 

Do you see the delight?

 

At the heart of our children is this amazing imagination. They are full of original ideas and feelings! And within their own passions and interests, they express this creativity, this beautiful individuality.

 

Related: 14 Brilliant Books to Inspire Creativity

 

Providing Opportunities to Create

 

Not every one of our children will naturally pick up a paintbrush to create a masterpiece; however, every one of them has the ability to create, in one form or another.

 

We love to allow our children the freedom to create, both with art materials, and with their imaginations through play. We advocate for large periods of time during which they can fully explore their ideas and carry them out to completion.

 

Dress up clothing for acting.

 

Blocks and trinkets for their imaginary worlds.

 

Paints and clay for artistic expression.

 

It is all a matter of creativity.

 

Providing children with the opportunity to create is important because it allows them to express their interests and to develop skills that they might otherwise not know and/or experience.

 

Related: From Painting Disaster to Creative Victory

 

Remember,

 

Masterpieces come in all shapes, forms and sizes. Even that scrap piece of paper with a scratchy drawing of “mommy” with a ponytail and missing arms is a “masterpiece” in the eyes of your little artist.

Provide enough freedom for your child to express their creativity, and you might simply be astounded at the beauty of their masterpiece.