How to Develop Creativity in Primary Children?

When we talk about creativity and child development, most people often think of it as an inborn talent. However, creativity is more about skill rather than talent. Just like one can develop new skills, creativity can also be developed. 

Regardless of the skill set and level of creativity a child possesses, you can direct your children to become more creative right from childhood. All you need is to come up with some innovative ideas and implement them into your kids’ lives.

Developing creativity in students is crucial because it is vital for their success in the long term and has relevance with everything they do. Moreover, creative students can come up with innovation in their work and show their skills. Having said that, let’s understand the best ways to develop creative thinking in children right from early childhood. 

Developing Creativity in PRIMARY CHILDREN

• Spend time with nature

Outdoor activities and spending time with nature have several benefits for the development of children. Nature is not only soul-soothing and peaceful but also offers numerous opportunities to explore the things within the mind. It brings creative thinking and problem-solving skills. 

In addition, when children spend time with nature, whether at a park, a river, hill stations, mountains, sunsets, sunrise, etc., they get inspired to think of new things and build creative minds. You might have seen children drawing in the sand, forming designs with leaves and branches, etc. These are some examples of the development of creativity in childhood while spending time outdoors. 

• Indulge in artistic activities

When we think of art, it reminds us of some form of creative skill. It is all about the thought process, imagination, creativity, etc. This is why excellent schools conduct several art activities on campus and encourage students to participate heavily. The popular art activities for children can be painting, drawing, clay, sculpture, poems, etc. 

To develop creative thinking in early childhood, you must indulge your kids in art activities as much as you can. Such activities bring out their thoughts, emotions, feelings, and make them express themselves. It also improves their concentration power, hand-eye coordination, and improves artistic skills.

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  Ask questions that make them think

While having regular conversations with children, try to ask open-ended and thought-provoking questions to them. The benefit of doing it is that such questions will make them think and imagine things independently. Rather than telling them everything, let them make decisions, think about certain things, and allow them to share their opinions. In this way, they will be able to share their ideas, visions, etc. It is a good step towards developing creativity in primary children. 

Here are a few examples of open-ended questions for kids: “What are some other ways to do this?”, “What will happen if…?”, “What is the difference between…?”

Basically, such questions have some descriptive answers rather than a simple Yes or No. 

• Reduce screen time

Kids are into mobile phones, televisions, and computers to watch cartoons and movies, play video games, etc. But everything is good at its limit. While it is difficult to keep them away from these things completely, what you can do is limit their screen time. It’s because these things serve everything to the kids and don’t make them think. Instead of these activities, direct them to play games that need creative thinking, such as solve puzzles, chess, etc. 

• Encourage them to read

Reading is the best habit you can develop in kids. It is great not only for increasing creativity, but also to improve their focus, develop logical thinking, learn new things, and more. While television shows and cartoons serve the content, the reading makes the kids consume it on their own. It makes them think and imagine things on their own. 

It is highly recommended to encourage the kids to develop a reading habit. Take them to libraries, tell them stories before sleeping, talk about authors, etc. 

Wrapping Up:

The first step in developing creativity in primary children is to understand that it can be created like a skill. The upbringing and the regular activities matter a lot in how children become creative. Take them out, encourage participation in art activities, reduce screen time while making them read, and ask open-ended questions. These things will definitely help you to make your children creative.