6 Ways to foster creativity in children

Encouraging our kids to be creative is something all parents yearn to do. Creativity is an essential asset for your child’s personality, not only for artistic pursuits, but also for developing social skills and emotional intelligence. In the past, researchers thought of creativity as the ability to generate lots of new ideas. However, in recent years, researchers have viewed not only creativity and ideas as important, but also the ability to select the best ideas and apply them to specific problems as a key to success. Coding classes for kids are popular these days, as are activities like origami and theatre classes. Here are some ways to foster creativity in your kids.

Foster unstructured playtime

Give children time to explore their faculties –  Let them engage in their imaginative games and encourage them to test the limits of their imagination. Use the same toy for different games. Can the same stuffed toy bear be used both as a Villian and a Hero? A Captain or a Pirate? It’s all up to them! Recycle your costumes, art supplies and used containers and you’d be amazed at the things children come up with!

Encourage a divergent thought process

Other than teaching the essential skills that your child needs, it is also important to let children think freely. Give them the chance to express a ‘divergent’ opinion, even if it may be factually incorrect. Let them understand that there will always be more than one solution to a certain problem. Encouraging your child to go beyond conventional answers will broaden their horizons challenge them to think beyond the “right” answer.

Kick-start their senses using their surroundings

Activating your child’s senses is highly important. Museums, libraries and even parks are perfect (and free!) options to set their minds thinking. Engage their imaginative faculties by asking questions about travelling and places. For instance, ask them what they enjoyed most about their walk in the park, what type of flowers/animals they saw and so on. This also helps them feel comfortable in and recognise different spaces.

Encourage the use of the right devices

Limiting screen time has been deemed essential for kids to develop creativity. However, it does not mean you should keep them isolated from the world of technology. Computer programming for kids allows them to apply their mathematics from school, and trains their logical thinking and problem decomposition abilities . For kids of reading age, handheld e-book readers or kids coding books are also good devices and tools to encourage kids to read from young. Let them become creators and masters of technology, and not succumb as merely consumers of technology (Eg. Screen Time, TV, Youtube)

Introduce multi-sensory learning

Use phenomena like sound, texture, taste, movement and visuals in their daily playtime. Turn on the radio to your favourite station and make up dance moves for the whole family! Or bake a cake with the kids and teach them valuable concepts such as measurement, weight, time, and indulge their senses of taste and smell with that lovely batter you have made!

Teach them programming

Coding classes for kids have been proven to help kids develop an analytical thought process.  Not only that, with new block-based software such as Scratch and App Inventor, both developed by MIT, children  can now pick-up coding as young as the age of 4 and create their own games, apps and animations. With many different options such as Art x Coding, Nursery Rhymes x Coding and even Python x Minecraft, the real power lies in marrying entirely different domains together, to create something amazing, that hones your childs’ creativity, and is applicable in many aspects of their lives.

Ways to improve your kids’ behaviour

Most parents start out raising their children with care. However, it is natural to meet roadblocks along the way. Tried-and-tested methods may not necessarily work. Giving adequate attention and spending time with children are essential!

With the advent of technology, helping your children to focus their energy towards useful tasks has become easy. Coding for kids is one activity that helps them think logically. Read on to know the ways to improve your kids’ behaviour.

Appreciate and compliment good behaviour

Compliments work the best for children. This can be done by demonstrating qualities like patience and courtesy. Subsequently, encourage them to develop good qualities. Ask them to hold the door for the elderly, and tell them to speak to the domestic help politely. Compliment them for doing it and help them realise their strengths.

More than anything, you should remind your kids that they should be proud of themselves. This is necessary in order to help them feel confident. They will also recognise persistence, kindness, and hard work as positive qualities.

Participate in your kid’s hobbies

Lack of attention from parents can make the child irritable. Make sure you are giving your kids enough time. Expose them to different activities and hobbies. Ask them about their accomplishments at school.

For slightly older children, it important for parents to guide them in their homework. Participating in any projects they have from school is important. Coding for kids is an activity that any parent even with no background in programming can engage in with their kids.

Encourage them to code and discover its applications

For kids, computer programming can help develop qualities like problem-solving skills and creativity. The reason why kids love the coding activity is because it is structured like a language. It appeals to their curiosity. Coding for kids also helps kids struggling with academics. Kids into coding often find math easier.

Moreover, computer programming as a career is a lucrative option. Acquainting your kid with it early is always a good idea. Programming classes use interactive resources and games to teach your kid to code. Attending coding classes also helps your kid build social skills. These are among the essential skills for kids that help them to have a head start for the future.

Stay true to your promises/rules

It is important to let your child know the value of your word. If you ask your children to complete their homework before they can watch TV, follow through on it. Likewise, you must also make sure that your child gets any due rewards. Follow rules and have a chore-for-reward system in place. Avoid empty threats that can cause a backfire as young children tend to grow irritable and insecure when promises are broken.

Encourage non-impulsive behaviour

It is necessary to identify signs of impulsive behaviour early. These include violence, self-harm, snatching things, and disruptive behaviour. To help your child develop non-impulsive behaviour, you should give them examples from real life. Plan their day and engage them in creative activities. At a later stage, you may also want to demonstrate them the consequences of impulsive behaviour. One way to discourage impulsive behaviour in them is by encouraging them to participate in outdoor games and physical exercises.

Essential skills you should teach your kids

As parents, it is totally up to you to teach your kids essential practical skills. Teaching your child to be more independent and resourceful is as important as taking care of their health and education. However, it is important to do it in a way that doesn’t overwhelm them. For instance, having your little one to attend coding classes for kids is better than burdening them with books on the subject. Here is a list of some important skills you should teach your kids.

 

Swimming is essential

Kids generally find swimming enjoyable even at a young age. However, it is recommended that parents take kids of ages 4+ to swimming. Post 6 years of age, you can help them work on developing, improving and finally refining their strokes. An early start could mean better health and fitness and even a career in swimming. Most importantly, it makes them safer in water. They can later progress to kayaking, scuba diving and so on.

 

Cooking their own meals

Teaching kids to cook for themselves helps to instil the value of being responsible and independent. If your kids are in pre-school, you can introduce them to the kitchen in the beginning. Get them to measure ingredients, safely operate appliances, stir the batter, and so on. Pre-teens can learn how to cook simple recipes or how to use knives under your supervision. Older kids can be encouraged to prepare meals on their own. This helps them stay confident in emergency situations and feel competent.

 

Coding to build analytical skills

For kids, computer programming is considered even more important than learning a language, nowadays. Programming is said to help kids find better solutions to daily problems. It even helps kids to improve in their mathematical skills. Even if you do not have a coding background, using online resources, basic computing kits or even coding books and mobile apps, you can coach your kid. Coding classes for kids teach programming by way of games and fun exercises. Coding skills are an asset to pass on to your kids. They also open up lucrative career opportunities.

 

Managing grocery shopping

This is especially important for younger kids. Grocery stores often have aisles lined up, with signs. When you take them to the store, make sure they look around the place on their own. Give them a little basket to get four or five things on their own. They will be encouraged to use the signs and navigate around the area on their own. This can help them as they grow up to find their way around a place they’re visiting for the first time.

 

Restaurant etiquette

This should ideally be taught much before high school. Whenever the family dines out, encourage them to order for themselves. It is important to teach them to make better choices. As they order the food, remind them to look the waiters in the eye, be polite and say ‘thank you.’ This helps them to learn how to behave and come across as polite individuals later in their life. This should be followed by telling them the right use of cutlery and eating manners. You should also teach your kids to dress for the occasion and engage in effective small talk.