Creativity is a trait that exists in everyone! All humans are born with unique, creative ways; this is a disposition we can nurture and cultivate. We must simply understand that one person’s approach to creativity differs from another; we are all unique and so are our kids.

Infants are born with a natural drive to explore and make sense of the world around them. For them, creativity is about active exploration, self-expression, and experimentation supported within the context of nurturing and responsive relationships.

Power packed creative creatures

Children are curious explorers and they wonder how and why things work the way they do. Their natural curiosity and creativity are enhanced and supported through nurturing, responsive relationships with their families and caregivers. With this type of care, infants and toddlers feel safe to explore their environments freely and use their imaginations. They learn to trust that their caregivers will value and accept the ways they express themselves and feel confident in experimenting with their new ideas.

Creativity is a natural extension of enthusiasm

Children have different ways to express their creativity; young infants cannot create or narrate their own story, they can actively engage in exploration of their environment using their senses to learn how things work, taste, smell, feel, and sound. On the other hand, older infants benefit from their growing physical and language skills which support their imaginative play and creativity. These kids can narrate, enact, create, recreate and can express in a more mature & unique way. They display moments of pure focus as they explore places, combine materials and try out their new ideas.

Kids are excellent observers and absorb quickly. They try to imitate from a very young age. They imitate the facial expressions and actions that they see. They remember a lot of what they see, feel, and hear. As they get older and their skills are further developed, you will notice infants and toddlers re-enacting their experiences. This imitation has its own creativity; you as a parent must have observed your kid(s) trying to imitate while playing with their siblings, peers, their pets, or toys what they themselves have experienced from their elders. For example: kids try to make their dolls or their younger siblings study/ sleep the way you must have been doing with them by adding some creativity of their own. For instance some kids even try to feed their dolls or pets in the same manner as they are being fed by their caregivers or parents.

Creativity is an important human resource

We as facilitators need to help kids to boost and enhance their creative skills through profuse activities. Children can be involved in numerous day to day activities, we can make some of the daily chores as a part of their routine activity. Creative plays enable kids to put on their thinking caps and think out of the box. Creative play helps toddlers develop emotionally, physically, mentally and socially. Experiencing, discovering, experimenting and creating are the most important parts of creative play for toddlers. Toddlers can learn and develop through drama, visual arts and craft, music, sounds, and dance.

How can we support our child’s creativity:

• Allowing free time: it is important to provide kids with some unstructured time
  along with planned and scheduled activities. Creativity offers a bounty of intellectual, emotional and even health benefits.
• Helping kids to activate senses: children should be given enough learning
  space and should be exposed to the environment to activate their senses.
• Cultivate critical thinking: It is essential to talk with kids; be what age they are. As your kids get older, ask them how they approach certain problems and how they might do things differently.
• Avoid hovering around: Children have an amazing innate ability to be creative when they play freely on their own, and unfortunately, the act of overparenting dampens or even wipes out that innate ability. One should avoid being a helicopter parent. Being more hands-off helps kids figure out how to problem-solve and create in their own unique ways.
• Give them their choices and likings: Help kids pursue their passions. Pay attention to your child’s interests and make these materials and activities available to them.

Being creative does not mean you need to be a well-known artist or a great chef. Being creative means you are open to expressing yourself and investigating the world around you. It can also mean to find a new and better way of answering a question or solving a problem. Be it daydreaming, planning, changing – creativity can show itself in all people in different ways in everyday life.