As a very creative person whose job is basically to help unlock the creativity of others, raising and nurturing my children’s creativity was always going to be one of my parenting priorities!
A lot of study and research has been done on the subject of creativity and through this body of research I have discovered the following key benefits in developing a child’s creativity:
1. Creativity can increase happiness and well-being
2. Creativity can help children learn
3. Creativity can help kids develop emotional intelligence
4. Creativity helps kids discover their identity
5. Creativity helps to maximise your brains thinking potential
6. Creativity enhances problem solving capabilities
I have provided a detailed description of each of these benefits in the table below, however, I believe these headlines alone provide a compelling rationale for why focus should be applied to developing a children’s creativity throughout childhood.
I love this quote from Scott Barry Kaufman and Carolyn Gregoire, in their book “Wired to Create”, which I believe sums up the value of living a creative lifestyle:
“People who engage in a creative lifestyle…tend to be more open minded, imaginative, intellectually curious, energetic, outgoing, persistent, and intrinsically motivated by their activity. They also report a greater sense of well-being and personal growth.”1
Actively developing our child’s creativity gives them so much more than just a good idea or two, it can fundamentally boost their happiness and ability to thrive in the world around them!
At the end of the day, creativity will be a critical skill to navigate the coming years as we arguably work to solve some of the world’s biggest problems.
Raising creatively confident children provides the next generation with an opportunity to adapt to this future world and gives them the potential to even be the ones that change it!
“The progress of human kind depends on creativity: Creativity benefits individuals and society.” Marc H. Bornstein
The Benefits of Creativity
Creativity can increase happiness and well-being!
When we create, scientists have shown that we demonstrate more positive emotions. Hormones are also released across the pleasure pathways of the brain which helps us to feel both happier and more confident. Creating helps us to be autonomous and free, qualities also proven to unlock happiness.
Creativity can help children learn!
Creative activities help children to focus as they freely express themselves and make sense of the world around them. Creating with a diverse range of materials enables children to explore information and interests in new ways. This helps to form new understandings and build new skills.
Creativity can help kids develop emotional intelligence!
Open-ended artistic and playful activities, invite children to express their thoughts and feelings more freely and self-confidently. In addition, when we are fully engaged in a creative task, we often experience “flow”, a state which is proven to reduce stress and anxiety.
Creativity helps kids discover their identity!
When children create, they unlock dynamic connections across their neural landscape of memories, knowledge, and beliefs. As they begin to express new ideas, they start to reveal their ability to think differently and get curious to explore what is unique about them!
Creativity helps to maximize your brain’s thinking potential!
Creativity is a whole brain thinking activity as neurons fire across the different brain hemispheres. The more children exercise creative thinking capabilities, the more dexterity they will enable across the brains core networks. This will help children enhance their ability to think in different ways.
Creativity enhances problem-solving capabilities!
Creative play and activity invites children to be curious, “make a mess”, experiment and take risks. These safe learning environments give children the opportunity to build key problem-solving skills such as adaptability, resilience, embracing failure and the importance of collaborating with others.
References
- Kaufman, Scott Barry, Gregoire, Carolyn, “Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind”, Tarcherperige, Reprint Edition, 2016
- Russ, S W, Hoffman, J D, Kaufman, J C, “The Cambridge Handbook of Life Span Development of Creativity”, University Printing House, UK, 2022
- Creativity for Kids, Maryville University: https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/psychology/resources/creativity-for-kids-benefits-tips-for-nurturing-an-innovative-mind/
- The Whole Child, Creativity & Play, Fostering Creativity, PB, https://www.pbs.org/wholechild/providers/play.html
- The ‘flow state’: Where creative work thrives. Alice Robb, 2019, BBC Worklife, https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190204-how-to-find-your-flow-state-to-be-peak-creative
- 4 Ways to Foster Your Child’s Creativity, Psych Central, https://psychcentral.com/health/ways-to-support-your-childs-creativity
- Why creativity is important in early child development, My First 5 Year, https://www.mffy.com/blog/why-creativity-is-important-in-early-years-child-development
- This is your brain on creativity, Jeffrey Kluger, The Science of Creativity, Time Special Edition, 2018