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Studies have shown that children lose their creative thinking skills as they get older and learn to think according to the rules of the learning system they are in. In a test for creative thinking skills in a group of children at age 3-5, results showed that 98% of the children possessed abilities for thinking creatively. By the time they reached the age of 13-15 year olds, it had come as low as 10%. This reduction in creative thinking skills was blamed on repetitive and dry teaching methods employed today.

Young children at home are involved in all manner of activities throughout the day, and with positive encouragement from parents, these can become creative thinking activities. Parents can use constructive games at home to develop and nurture these creative thinking skills.

Thinking Creatively with Toys

A number of activity aids or toys for young children tend to offer stereotypical imagery or instruction. A coloring book will show only ‘correct’ shapes, a soft toy has the ‘correct features’, a doll’s house has all the features of a regular house, building blocks sets include pictures of houses or cars to build, and these are all toys meant to encourage creative thinking skills. As parents, offering more creative options to children teaches them that they can allow their imaginations to run wild, and that you support them in thinking creatively.

• Stock up on play dough and child-friendly clay so that children can make their own toys.
• Provide blank paper and crayons or paint so that children can draw their own shapes and color them in themselves. Drawing and coloring their own work helps children develop creative thinking skills.
• Use items from around the house to make craft projects or learning games with them. This teaches them that creativity can convert even the mundane into interesting objects. Cardboard cartons, newspapers, egg cartons, old socks, plastic bottles, used string and ribbons: there is never a short supply of these for children to play with.

Talking to Children about Creative Thinking Activities

When children are involved in something creative, parents should be aware of how they interact with children. Correcting them or telling a child that he or she has made a mistake can quickly nip the bud of creativity and make the child more cautious next time they are thinking creatively. Instead, parents should encourage children to describe their project and if possible, create stories around them.

• Use open questions to encourage children to talk.
• Do not ask “What is it?” while examining a drawing. To a child, their art is very clear and depicts exactly what they intend. Asking them to identify the object or creature in their drawing shows them that it is not as clear as they thought, and they’ll make it more ‘regular’ next time. Instead, ask them to tell you about their drawing and their creative thinking skills will grow.
• All parents want children to get basics right, especially so that they find it easy later to learn about these basics. Instead of correcting them, drawing the answers out through conversation brings awareness without losing out on creativity. For example, if they draw a dog without a tail, ask them “Do you remember how Snoopy shows us he’s happy?”
• Praise a child’s efforts at all times, and show enthusiasm for new ideas or creative thinking activities.
• While praising a result is a must, it is also important to discuss the process. Ask a child what inspired them, how they set about creating their project, and what would have happened if they did it differently. This shows them that you consider their ideas important, and also teaches them to analyze their own creative thinking skills.

Children learn from their parents. If they are able to participate in creative thinking activities with you, they are more likely to think creatively on their own. If you find it hard to come up with creative thinking activities, there are plenty of books and websites that suggest inexpensive learning games and creative thinking activities for young children.

References:

1. Creative Play Helps Children Grow – National Network for Child Care
2. How to Promote Creative Thinking – Scholastic
3. Fostering Academic Creativity in Gifted Children – Kidsource